A Bright & Healthy Bowl of Tomato-Tortilla Soup--Welcoming Ellie Krieger to I Heart Cooking Clubs

We are cooking along with dietitian, healthy living expert, and best-selling cookbook author Ellie Krieger for the next six months at I Heart Cooking Clubs. I love Ellie's recipes (there are several on the blog) and her balance of healthy and delicious, so it should be a fun six months. 

Our first weekly theme says "Hello Ellie!"--a dish to welcome her to IHCC.

I usually make a soup to welcome out new IHCC chefs but I have not felt like making soup the last few months. The unusually hot weather has been part of it, but the biggest reason is that soup really reminds me of my mom and I was waiting until those memories became a point of comfort rather than a point of sadness. I am probably not quite all the way there yet, however it's hard not to smile at a bowl of tortilla soup with its bright colors and happy toppings so I decided to make Ellie's Tomato-Tortilla Soup.

Tomato-Tortilla Soup
Adapted from The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger & Food Network.com
(Yields 4 Servings)

2 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp canola oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbsp)
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (I used 1 tsp-ish ancho chili powder)
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp dried oregano
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used low-sodium veggie broth)
2 (14.5-oz) cans no salt added diced tomatoes with juice (I subbed in 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
(I added chopped avocado)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush both sides of each tortilla with oil, using 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cut the tortillas in half, then cut each half into 1/4-inch wide strips. Arrange the strips on a baking sheet, sprinkle with the salt, and bake until crisp and golden, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoons of oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic, jalapeno, cumin, and oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the broth and tomatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice.

Remove the pan from the heat and puree with an immersion blender or in 2 batches in a regular blender until the soup lightens in color but chunks of tomato remain, about 30 seconds. Serve the soup topped with the tortilla strips, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Nutrition Info (Per 2 Cup Serving): Calories: 199; Total Fat: 9 grams; Saturated Fat: 2 grams; Protein: 8 grams; Total carbohydrates: 22 grams; Sugar: 8 grams; Fiber: 3 grams; Cholesterol: 8 milligrams; Sodium: 298 milligrams

Excellent Source of: Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Good Source of: Fiber, Niacin, Phosphorus, Iron, Vitamin K, Protein

Notes/Results: A simple and tasty bowl of tortilla soup bright and lively from the lime juice. This is a lighter tortilla soup (199 calories for two cups) but does not skimp on the flavor. If you want something a bit more substantial, you can add avocado or even a can of black beans to make it more of a meal. I completely forgot to grab a jalapeno pepper so I replaced it with slightly smoky ancho chili powder which was a nice substitute. I also used 1 can of fire-roasted tomatoes in place of one of the cans of no-salt. This soup was a fast and comforting dinner during a crazy week. (And as you can see, I drained the bowl.) I would make it again.

(Souper Sundays Note: For those of you that have joined in on my weekly soup, sandwich and salad event, Souper Sundays, I am still on 'hiatus' and determining when and how to bring it back. I'll keep you posted.) 
 
You can see what dishes everyone made to say "Hello Ellie!" at IHCC by following the picture links on the post. Come join us--we'll be cooking along with Ellie until April 3, 2016.