TACO SOUP

Hola!

Years ago a friend of mine offered me some of the Taco Soup she had made for lunch.  I thought it was delicious and asked her for the recipe.  I was surprised to learn that this rich-tasting recipe was actually from Weight Watchers.

I have been making this recipe ever since, having added some of my own twists and tweaks.  The toppings I add likely detract from the diet/low-cal value of the original Weight Watchers recipe, but they can be added or not.  My family happens to love this soup, so I prepare it often.  It is quick and easy to make and can be thrown together with staples I keep on hand in my pantry and freezer. Here’s what you need to make it:

I start by pouring a little olive oil into a large pot.  I then add one pound of ground turkey.  I’m partial to Zacky Farms Ground Turkey because, as a teenager, I used to babysit for the Zacky family, who happened to live in my neighborhood.

Fully cook the turkey, breaking it up into small pieces with a flat sided wooden utensil.

Once the turkey is cooked, toss in one 1 ounce package of powdered Ranch Dressing……

and one 1 ounce package of Taco Seasoning.

I then add 1- 15 ounce can of small white beans, 1 -15 ounce can of black beans, and 1- 15 ounce can of chili beans.  I do not drain the beans, as I think there is darn good food value in that liquid.  By the way, you can choose to use any type of canned beans you like.  I happen to think this combination of beans looks and tastes good.  And in particular, the Chili beans provide additional flavor to the soup.

This recipe also calls for frozen corn.  Sometimes I use frozen, sweet white corn, other times frozen roasted corn.  The choice is yours.  I then add about 2/3rd of a 16 ounce bag, about 2 cups.

Next, I add is two – 10 ounce cans of diced tomatoes.  I like to use the Rotel brand of diced tomatoes because they give the soup a kick with the addition of green chilies or lime and cilantro.   You can choose to throw in two of the same flavor, or one of each.  I usually add whatever I happen to have on hand.

The last ingredient is 2 cups of chicken broth.  I like to make my broth with Better Than Bouillon because I always have it on hand.

Mix it all up and let it simmer (covered) until ready to serve.

In the meantime, prepare your Taco Soup toppings.  Here again, I use what I happen to have on hand.  I’ll grate some cheddar and Mexican Panela cheese, dice some green onions and cilantro and use store-bought tortilla chips.

I place the toppings in small bowls and let people serve themselves.

If I don’t have tortilla chips on hand, I’ll fry some up using corn tortillas that I always have in the freezer.

Drain them on a paper towel and sprinkle with a little Kosher salt.

I also like to add diced fresh avocado.

So there you have it:  Taco Soup.  I will typically serve it with a green salad on the side and can have a healthy and delicious dinner on the table in about 30 minutes.

ENJOY!

PS – The folks at Better Than Bouillon, Rotel, Old El Paso, Zacky Farms, Hidden Valley Ranch & Weight Watchers have never heard of me.  I just sincerely like sharing with you the brands I use and enjoy.

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