From Anna Matsunaga, Team Momentum, Keller Williams Realty Tacoma
www.teammometnumrealestate.com 253 353 2662
It has been more than a decade and a half since I made major changes in my eating and got healthier. It is a journey I am still on and I am constantly learning more about nutrition. I may be a Realtor(r), but I have far far more training than ANY MD received in medical school regarding nutrition and likely as much as many nutritionists. I have done this in a quest to be well myself and to help my family be well. Most people think of eating healthy as boring and mssing out on all the good food, but it is quite the opposite.
This soup recipe is one that I developed after eating tortilla soup in a restaurant and then going home to find a recipe since I liked it so much. I found many recipes, took what I liked best from each and added things of my own as well to make my own special recipe. Measurements are approx, don't get too hung up on them, taste as you go and it will be delious, but a little different each time.
TORTILLA SOUP!
2 med or 3 small zucchini cut down the middle into quarters and then sliced fairly thin
1 yellow crook neck squash cut the same way as the zucchini
1 small can of mild green chilis or one fresh one chopped up small
2-3 carrots grated
2 bunches of celantro including the stems chopped up fine
3 green onions
2 meed sized shallots chopped ( or 1 med spanish onion)
8 or so large fresh roma tomatoes or a 32 oz can of diced tomatoes with the juice
2 or 3 cans of black beans drained and rinsed, or 1.5 cups or so of dried, soaked cooked and then drained.
Sea salt
4 garlic cloves crushed
chili powder ( few pinches)
Juice from one fresh lemon
64 oz of vegetable stock or chcken stock
Purified water
--Optional--
Chicken breat or tenders cut into bite sized peices and cooked in either taco seasoning or cumin, paprika, chili powder,and salt with a little garlic and cooked in a hot pan. Any amount between 1/4 and 1.1/4 lbs
Frozen or fresh corn kernels 1-2 cups
1/4 cup of green salsa
tabasco
scallops and any other white fish cut into chunks and or shrimp- prepare like the chicken except for the scallops which shoudl be put right into the boiling soup stock
Toppings
Avacados
Fresh celantro
Fresh green onions
Cheese grated
Tortilla chips
To make,
Pour the stock into a large pot and begin cutting up all the veggies and as you compete chopping drop half or a little more of the veggies into the soup stock, do this with all of the veggies except for 1 bunch of celantro with the celantro put in onlyhalf of one bunch. If you are putting chicken or seafood into the soup cut it up first and cook with seasonings so that it can cook while you are cutting veggies. Do not over cook or it will be tough, but do cook through and it is best to cut into small pieces with the chicken. Add the purified water to the point that the veggies all swim very freely with in the soup and it is not "thick". As you simmer add more water as needed.
Once you have the veggies in also add a little sea salt and also the garlic and the black beans if you are adding meat add it now as well.
After you have all of that in your soup, bring to a very low boil and then put the lid on and simmer. It works wonderfully to add veggies a bit at a time as a day goes by and the flavor is enhanced if you are able to do it that way. As the day goes on or simply add some more of the veggies you have chopped a little at at time until you have them all in there with the exception of 1 of bunches celantro.
Prepare the toppings and set aside in serving dishes.
The soup is best if it cooks for several hours or better yet all day or better part of a day, Then cooled and refridegerated and then put back on the stove and cooked a little before the meal you will serve in, this makes it so the flavors marry.
Just a little while before serving add the lemon juice and 1/2 a bunch of celantro ( the last half is reserved for topping)
Taste at this point and add sea salt or anyu of the spices already in the soup to taste if needed. The broth is heavenly-
Serve in individual bowls very hot and allow your guests to add toppings as they desire. The chips if used are crumbled over the soup much like crackers only more tasty, I used to put lots of chips on the soup, but use none now since I have cut out corn and cut back on carbs, it is just as good with out it. The cheese if it is used as a topping will melt into the cheese. My favorite however is chopped fresh avacado and celantro on it.
Be prepared it is hard to eat just one bowl.
This sounds like lots of work, but mostly is just chopping veggies, up and even if you are busy, do it on a weekend and do just a little at a time through a busy day at home. I consider this the ultimate in healty fast food since I can make a pot and if the family does not eat it all up in one sitting I have soup to eat at lunch or dinner or even breakfast through out the week.
You can just add the veggies all at one time when you first make it, but the flavor will not be as complex as if you do it the other way. Be sure to wash all veggies before chopping and please use organic for all the ingredients you can, it is better for you and will increase good flavor as will being in a good mood while cooking the soup. ( yes this sounds weird,but is very true. I have made it a few times for the famiily when I was very stressed or in a bad mood, they always commented that it was "off" when I did.
I hope you love this recipe as much as our family does, it has been a staple now in our household for years!
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