Tortilla Soup topped with shredded cheddar.
I’m still struggling a little with the dietary requirements during my treatment for Lyme. I’ve done this diet before, but I can’t remember what exactly I ate for a year and a half during my initial treatment.
I can’t remember what I ate for lunch today either, but that’s another story.
All I could remember was tortilla soup. So that’s what I’m having tonight. It’s delicious, but I have no one to share it with. My kids won’t eat it. I made them something else. Wilderness Dad doesn’t make his way home from the Jungle (lower Manhattan) until around 9 p.m., so he isn’t here to enjoy it with me. And if he was, a bowl of soup (without meat) doesn’t qualify as a real dinner in his book.
So I’m sharing it with you. It’s low fat, low carb and vegetarian, but packed with flavor. I promise you’ll love it. Trust me.
I hope you enjoy it on a cold December night.
Ingredients and Cooking Instructions
You will need:
- 1 Large onion sliced into wedges
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 4 cloves of garlic (more or less, depending on your preference will work fine)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil
- 2 Cups of salsa (pick your favorite!)
- 1 Teaspoon dried oregano
- 8 Cups of vegetable stock (for vegetarian version) or chicken stock
- 1 Cup corn tortillas, torn into small pieces
Start with the oil in a large pot and heat until shimmering. Add the cumin, garlic and onion and saute for 4 minutes. *Stand back from the pot when you do this, or you will smell like a Mexican restaurant for the rest of the day.
Add the oregano, stock and salsa and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Allow the soup to simmer for 15 minutes, then add the torn tortillas. Let them cook until they soften, about five minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and use a handheld blender to blend the soup into a smooth and creamy texture. Alternately, you can ladle the soup into your food processor or regular blender in small amounts and blend.
Toppings and Additions for Tortilla Soup
These are just a few of my favorite toppings to go along with this soup. Feel free to use whatever you like and experiment with your own favorites!
- Tortilla Chips (my favorite are the baked or whole grain variety)
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh cilantro
- Low fat sour cream
- Avocado (one or two chopped up)
- Hot sauce
Possible additions to the soup:
- To add protein to this vegetarian soup, add tofu or beans ( I use black beans in this recipe) before leaving the soup to simmer.
- For non-vegetarians, add grilled chicken or boneless chicken breasts, sliced when you leave the soup to simmer. Remove the chicken before adding the tortillas and blending the soup. Put it back in when the soup is complete.
Serving
Gather the family around the table and serve the soup. Set out all the different toppings in the center of your table, so everyone can design the final taste and look of their soup to match their preferences. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days. It tastes just as good warmed up later!
This recipe will take about 30 minutes from start to finish. You’ll be left with a pot of fresh, delicious soup that can serve up to six people.
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