Chicken Tortilla Soup

One of my favorite things in the world is Mexican Food! So much so that I married a hispanic man to feed my need for Mexican Food because he's so handsome & sweet :) So when I came across a recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup, I had to do a recipe makeover!!  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I have!

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion

1/2c green beans

2 large carrots
2 stalks celery
1 medium jalapeno
4 cloves garlic

1 lb. chicken breast
6c low sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes w/chiles
1 tsp oregano
½ tbsp cumin
1 medium lime
½ bunch cilantro, chopped

Dice the onion, green beans, carrots, celery, and jalapeno (scrape the seeds out of the jalapeno before dicing). Mince the garlic. Cook the onion, green beans, carrots, celery, jalapeno, and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until tender.

Add the chicken breast, chicken broth, canned tomatoes with chiles, oregano, and cumin to the pot. Bring the whole pot up to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat to low, place a lid on top, and let simmer for one hour.

After simmering for an hour with a lid on, carefully remove the chicken breast from the pot and use two forks to shred the meat. Return the meat to the pot. Squeeze the juice of one lime into the soup. Get as much juice as possible from the lime by using a spoon to scrape the inside of the lime.
Rinse the cilantro and then roughly chop the leaves. Add to the pot, give it a quick stir, and serve.

Vegetable & Brown Rice Soup

1 tblsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
10 shitake mushrooms, sliced
2 green onions, chopped
5 carrots, chopped
10 small red potatoes, chopped
1 tblsp parsley
1 tblsp basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tblsp  + 2 tsp tomato bouillon
5 cups water
1 (12 oz) jar roasted red peppers
1c TVP (textured vegetable protein)
1c beef broth
2c brown rice, cooked

In a large pot on medium-high heat, add the olive oil, onions, mushrooms and green onions.  Saute until onions are tender.  Add chopped carrots, red potatoes, parsley, basil, salt and pepper.  Continue to saute for 4-5 minutes.  Add the tomato bouillon and water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the TVP.  In a glass measuring cup, bring the beef broth to a boil in the microwave.  Pour the boiling beef broth unto the TVP and stir just to combine.  Allow the TVP to sit for 5 minutes until all the beef broth has been absorbed.

Add the moist TVP and the cooked brown rice to the large pot and continue to simmer until the potatoes and carrots are tender.  Serve immediately :)

Quick & Easy Veggie Chili

Make this simple yet tasty recipe and enjoy for dinner or for lunches throughout the week. Substitute black beans or pinto beans or use a combination of your favorite. Note that this recipe makes a small batch, so double it if you want leftovers.

1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2c low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
2 tsp no-salt-added chili powder
2 (15 oz) cans no-salt added kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4c chopped cilantro (optional)
Sliced fresh jalapeño peppers (optional)

Heat a large saucepot over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes or until beginning to brown and stick to the pan. Stir in 1/2 cup broth and cook 3 to 4 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender and most liquid has evaporated. Stir in chili powder and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth, beans and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, about 30 minutes or until vegetables and beans are tender and sauce is thickened. Stir in black pepper. Serve with cilantro and jalapeños, if using.

Chicken Shiitake & Bok Choy Soup

8c low-salt chicken broth
6 oz shiitake mushrooms sliced
2 tblsp fresh ginger, peeled, chopped
3 tblsp fish sauce
1 tblsp soy sauce
1 tblsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp chili oil
3c sliced bok choy
4 tsp rice vinegar
2 green onions, sliced

Bring broth, mushrooms and ginger to boil in large pot. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Add fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili oil and simmer 2 minutes. Add bok choy and simmer until bok choy is tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in rice vinegar. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.  Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.

Root Vegetable Soup

Root Vegetable Soup

4 medium carrots, chopped
1 small celery root, chopped
2 medium leeks, chopped
1/2 medium yellow rutabaga, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
6c vegetable stock
3 bay leaves
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 275F.  Mist a casserole dish with olive oil spray.  Place all ingredients into casserole dish and cover (may use aluminum foil). Place the casserole dish on the lower rack of the oven and cook undisturbed for 3 hours.

Let the soup cool awhile.  Remove the bay leaves.  In batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor, pouring the pureed soup into a bowl.  Serve the soup hot with a spoonful of greek yogurt or with freshly chopped chives.

White Bean, Bacon & Parsley Soup

White Bean, Bacon & Parsley Soup

1c dried lima beans
2 tblsp olive oil
4 slices bacon (nitrate free)
1 bay leaf
2 tblsp butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium leek, finely chopped
2 small celery sticks, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
2/3c almond milk (original)
salt & pepper to taste
3 tblsp fresh parsley, chopped

In a large bowl, add your dried beans & fill with water to cover over 2 inches above beans. Soak overnight. Drain the beans and add to a large pot with 1 quart of water and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil and partially cover.  Simmer gently for 20-30 minutes or until beans are tender.

Heat 1 tblsp of olive oil in a medium skillet and cook the bacon for 5 minutes or until lightly crispy and golden.  Remove bacon, chop & set aside. Add the remaining oil and butter.  Add the chopped onion, leek and celery.  Stir to coat with butter and oil, saute on low heat for 10 minutes.

Add the vegetables and bacon to the simmering beans.  Remove the bay leaf and add the chopped garlic.  SImmer for 10 minutes until the beans and vegetables are soft.  Slightly mash some of the beans with a fork against the side of the pan to thicken sauce.  Add the almond milk and season with salt and pepper.  Serve soup hot in bowls with chopped fresh parsley as a garnish.

Buttermilk Substitute

I never have buttermilk.  Plan and simple. I don't drink it & therefore never have it on hand for recipes.  So, I got this great recipe from my dad for buttermilk substitute.

Buttermilk Substitute

1 tblsp lemon juice
Milk

In a glass measuring cup, add the lemon juice.  Then fill with milk until you reach 1 cup on the measuring line.  Stir and let sit 5 minutes before using in recipes.  Wasn't that easy? :)

Tomato Basil Soup

Tomato Basil Soup

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 (14.5-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
2 cups 1% low-fat milk
Salt and pepper, to taste

Sautee Onion and Garlic in a sauce pan with extra-virgin olive oil.  Add the fresh roasted tomatoes, cream cheese, low-fat milk and basil, simmer for 10-20 minutes. Serve warm.

Red Lentil Soup

Turkish Red Lentil Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 tsp dried mint
1 1/2 cups red lentils, cleaned and rinsed
4 cups unsalted chicken stock
4 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp salt


Melt the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat.Toss in the onions and carrots and cook until the onions are translucent, about five minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to incorporate. Next, add the tomatoes, fresh and dried mint, lentils, chicken stock, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for about 15-2o minutes until the lentils have broken apart. Blend for a few minutes with an immersion blender until smooth. Salt to taste. Serve with bread and a sliver of lemon to squeeze on top. Garnish it with crushed mint if you so desire.

Borracho Beans & Chicken

Borracho Beans & Chicken

6-8 slices turkey bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2- 16oz cans pinto beans
1- 10oz can rotel
8oz chardonnay
3 chicken breasts, grilled & sliced

In a large saucepan, saute the bacon & onion until bacon is brown, not crisp.  Add pinto beans, rotel and chardonnay, bring to simmer.  Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for 15-20min. Add sliced chicken and serve with tortilla chips.

Acorn Squash Soup

Acorn Squash Soup

1 small onion
1/4c chopped celery
2 tblsp butter
2 tblsp whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp dill weed
1/4 tsp curry powder (don't worry if you don't have it)
dash cayenne pepper
2c chicken broth - low sodium
1c milk or original no-sugar added almond milk
3c mashed cooked acorn squash
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut Acorn squash in half. Remove seeds & membranes from inside.  Lay with flesh side up on aluminum foil lined baking pan. Bake for 1hour until flesh is soft & tender. Remove & set aside.

In a large saucepan, saute the onion & celery in butter.  Stir in flour, dill curry & cayenne until blended.  Gradually add broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Add squash, salt & pepper; heat through.

In a blender, process the soup in batches until smooth. Pour into bowls; garnish with parsley.

Serving: 1cup   125cal  1g fat   3mg chol  408mg sodium    25g carbs   6g fiber   4g sugar   6g protein

This is a great recipe that my whole family loves...and we don't like squash. So that's saying something!!  This recipe also freezes very well and can be frozen in Ziploc bags or tupperware.  Enjoy!!