Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Hi, friends. I hope all of you are having an awesome Friday. One more day of work until my "weekend"!

It's sort of sad, but I've been waiting for the weekend all week long. I'm still catching up from being away last weekend. When I spend the weekend traveling, I spend more time in the car than anything and I don't get my chores done, let alone get in much rest. #timemanagementproblems

I've been doing my best at making exercise a big priority. At the end of a long day, the last thing I want to do is put on spandex and sweat, but I never regret it and I always feel much better afterwards.

Other than some exercise, I've been a hard-core homebody lately, especially after I get home from work. If it's dark and cold, I'm not going anywhere :)

I'm hanging out with these guys...

And nothing is more appropriate for cold weather than soup. I. Love. Soup. And you will love this soup recipe that I'm sharing with you today. I just started throwing together ingredients and the result was awesome!

This Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup is sure to warm you up and it's actually pretty healthy for you. It's not a cream base soup, so it's a lot lower in fat and it's full of protein and fiber. Yum!

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

Rotisserie chicken, shredded (or 2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded)
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained (around 14-15 ounces)
1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (around 14-15 ounces)
1 can of diced tomatoes with peppers (around 14-15 ounces)
1 can of corn (around 10 ounces)
1 can of tomato paste (around 6 ounces)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
4 cups of chicken broth
5 small corn tortillas, cut into strips
salt, pepper, chili powder, onion powder, to taste
Shredded cheese (monterey jack, cheddar, or mexican blend), optional


Directions:

In a dutch oven or large pot, sautee the carrots and onions in olive oil until tender. Add the remaining ingredients (except for chicken and tortilla strips). Cook on high heat until the soup is boiling. Lower the heat to medium and cook for another ten minutes. Add the chicken and tortilla strips and cook for a few more minutes. Add shredded cheese to individual bowls, if desired.

Are you a soup lover? If so, what are your favorite homemade soups?

Skinny Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I'm a huge fan of broccoli and cheddar Soup. I've love the Broccoli Cheese Soup at Panera and I've even had my fair share of it at Subway. It became one of my favorite comfort foods last winter and I couldn't seem to get enough of it. However, I can honestly say that I had no idea how much fat was in my beloved soup, but I guess that's why it tastes so great!

If you're looking for a lighter version of broccoli and cheddar Soup for your dinner or to serve as an appetizer, you need to try this recipe! It's very easy to make, delicious, and you will have fresh hot soup on your table in less than 30 minutes.

Skinny Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups unsalted vegetable stock
4 cups broccoli florets, coarsely chopped
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 chopped carrot
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 + 1/8 cup fat free half-and-half
4 ounces shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

Directions:

Combine the first seven ingredients in a large saucepan on high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the broccoli is tender. Turn off the heat and with an immersion blender, blend the soup until it's creamy. If you don't have a hand blender, use a regular blender. Once the soup is blended, return it to the pan. Stir in the half-and-half and cheese. You will not need to turn the stove back on, as there will be enough residual heat to melt the cheese. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe from pickyeaterblog.com

What's your favorite soup?

Easy Lasagna Soup

I've mentioned it before, but easy meals are my favorite. I have an even greater appreciation for them now that I've got a full-time job. The recipe that I'm about to share is super simple to make and it can be frozen and defrosted for those days when you simply don't have time to cook. Yes, it's a soup and yes, I know that it's August. However, the temperature has actually dropped a little here on the island, so I say it's totally fine to eat soup in the summer!

 

Easy Lasagna Soup

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 lb lean ground turkey

28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

Small can tomato paste

2 cups broth (beef, veggie, or even just use water)

1 cup water

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pasta, cooked until just about done

1 cup mozzarella cheese

 

Directions:

 

Cook and drain the ground turkey and place into a pot.

 

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, water, and seasoning. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

 

Stir in cooked pasta and simmer an additional 5 minutes.

 

Serve with crusty bread and mozzarella cheese.

 

 

Italian "Funeral" Soup

Along with my graduation announcement (that I made myself), I mailed a blank recipe card (that I also made myself- I will post these soon) and asked the recipient to help me build my recipe collection by sharing a copy of their favorite family recipe. I've received a few completed recipe cards and I can't wait to try them all out!

My dear friend Mary Beth gave me a recipe for Italian "Funeral" Soup. It's simple and easy to make (which is my favorite kind of recipe) and tastes great! I can see this recipe being a huge hit at a get-together or luncheon. The best part about this recipe is that you probably already have all of the ingredients!

Ingredients:

1 can Campbell's Cream of Potato Soup
6 or 8 Armour Italian Style Meatballs
Crushed red pepper flakes
Low-fat milk

Directions:

Broil meatballs. Squeeze meatballs in paper towels to absorb excess fat.

Process soup and an equal amount of low-fat milk in a blender or food processor.

Add the meatballs and continue processing.

Portion out the soup and sprinkle red pepper flakes as a garnish.

Though Mary Beth didn't mention the addition of any cheese, I think it would be alright if you choose to add a pinch or two of shredded cheese to your cup of soup :)

White Chili

We had White Chili for dinner last week and it was pretty amazing. I must confess that with the exception of vegetarian versions, I’ve only ever cooked traditional chili. Needless to say, I was a little sceptical about what this chili would taste like. Everyone loved it and I even went back for seconds. This recipe is certainly a keeper!

Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

1 whole fryer chicken, cut up [or 3 cups cooked chicken]

1 whole medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 whole cans green chilies, chopped
1 pound dried great northern beans, rinsed
8 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
White pepper, to taste
1 cup reduced-fat milk
2 tablespoons Cornmeal
Grated monterey jack cheese [or your favorite cheese], to taste

Directions:

Cover chicken and cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until done. Remove meat from bones. Set aside.

In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, saute onions and garlic for 2 minutes. Add chopped green chilies, then rinsed beans. Pour chicken broth into the pan. Add sliced jalapenos. Season with salt, pepper, and cumin. Place lid on pot and reduce heat to low.

Cook for 2 hours or until beans are done. Halfway through the cooking process, add 3 cups of cooked chicken.

When beans are tender, mix milk with cornmeal and pour into the chili. Cook for an additional ten minutes to thicken. Check seasoning and adjust, adding cayenne pepper and paprika if desired.

Add some cheese to the pot and stir to melt.

Optional: Garnish with cilantro, sour cream, extra cheese---even pico de gallo and guacamole, if you have some on hand. Roll up warm corn tortillas and serve on the side of the bowl.

 

Easy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

My sweetie was sick last week, so I nursed him back to health with a big pot of Easy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. You couldn't make me touch chicken noodle soup as a kid [or any soup for that matter], but it's now my go-to recipe when we're feeling sick or need an extra dose of some comforting and nourishing food! It's so easy to make and you can even freeze the leftovers!
 

Ingredients:

 

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced (you can use a bag of pre-cut carrots)

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 medium onion, diced

3 cups whole wheat egg noodles, uncooked

3 cups chicken breast, boiled and chopped into bite size bits(save the broth)

Handful parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste
 

Directions:
 

Boil the whole wheat egg noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain the noodles and return them to the same pot. Add the boiled and chopped chicken. Add about 2 quarts of the chicken broth to the pot.

 

While the noodles cook, saute the onion, carrots, and celery in a tablespoon of olive oil until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the vegetables to the soup mixture.

 

Add the chopped parsley, the salt, and the pepper. Simmer for about an hour for a great flavor.