Place the beans in a Dutch oven and cover with water; bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans; return to Dutch oven. Add 6 cups water, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, bay leaves, tomatoes, basil and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1- half hours or until the beans are servings (3 quarts) Diabetic Exchanges: One 1-cup serving equals 1 vegetable, 1 starch, half lean meat, half fat; also 140 calories , 73 mg sodium, 0 cholesterol, 22 gm carbohydrate, 8 gm protein, 3 gm fat. From Oct/Nov '94 Taste of Home Magazine Formatted for MM by Pegg Seevers 0.021276595744681