Sort dry beans and remove any pebbles or overly dried beans.

Cover pinto beans with water and soak for 8 hours or overnight. Alternatively, to quick soak the beans, cover them with water and bring to a boil and then turn off the heat and cover beans for an hour to soften.

Drain soaking water and rinse beans.

In a large pot, cover the soaked beans with fresh water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add in a bay leaf, whole garlic cloves, and ½ an onion (not chopped) to flavor the beans. If desired, add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for some heat.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the beans, partially covered, for 30-45 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises as they cook. The time will be longer if you're using older dried beans or live at higher altitude. Sample a few beans to check doneness before turning off the heat - they should be tender to the bite but not soft.

Remove the bay leaf, garlic cloves and the half onion. Season the beans generously with salt to your liking.

Dice onion and bell pepper, and mince garlic.

In a soup pot over medium heat, sauté onion and bell pepper in olive oil until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add in minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute until aromatic.

Add in chili powder, cumin, cooked pinto beans, crushed tomatoes, fire roasted diced tomatoes, and salt and pepper. Simmer on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes.

Serve topped with avocado, cilantro, yogurt and lime juice.