Shrimp and Avocado Fiesta Soup

Ingredients:

12 ounces pre-cooked shrimp, tails off

1 cup salsa

1 cup chicken stock

2 ears corn on the cob

1 large or 2  small tomatoes, chopped (or substitute one can diced tomatoes)

chopped fresh cilantro, to taste

1 avocado

Cut corn off cob, and cook in pan sprayed with pam for about 3 minutes.  If using fresh tomatoes, add to corn and cook two minutes more.  Add salsa and chicken stock and heat through.  Add cilantro and shrimp and heat through.  Place in bowls, and top with chopped avocado and a dollop of sour cream (or greek yogurt works fine.)  4 GENEROUS SERVINGS, approx. 225 calories each

VARIATIONS:  Omit shrimp and add shredded chicken.  Omit shrimp and chicken and add beans of choice for a vegetarian version.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, extra fat removed

2 cups chicken  broth

2 cups (approx) water

1 medium onion chopped

1 large can diced tomatoes

1 cup salsa

4 Tbsp taco seasoning

Put all these ingredients in slow cooker and cook on slow for 8 hours.  Remove chicken and shred with a fork.  Return chicken to pot and add 1 bag of frozen corn defrosted and 4 more Tbsp taco seasoning.

That is a lot of taco seasoning.  You could probably substitute some spices–cumin, garlic, chili powder instead of the seasoning.  That’s just what I had on hand.

Toppings:  grated cheese, chopped avocado.

TACO SOUP

Taco soup topped with a little fresh cilantro and some chopped avocado

1 cup chopped baby carrots

1/2 onion

2 large or 4 small ears corn

1 very large tomato

4 tsp taco seasoning

5-6 oz. very lean ground beef, cooked

I put the carrots in the microwave for 2-3 minutes to pre-cook them.  Chop onion and put in pan sprayed w/Pam on med. heat.  Cook 5-7 minutes.  Add carrots.  Cut corn off cob, and put kernels in pan w/onion and continue cooking for 3 minutes.  Cut tomato into chunks, add to pan and continue cooking for 2 minutes.   Add taco seasoning.  Add as much or as little water as you like (I think I added 1 1/2-2 cups,) then add cooked meat.  (you could substitute shrimp, chicken, ground turkey, or beans.)  Continue to heat and serve.  This made 3 very large servings, at 4 points each, by my calculations.

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DINEEN’S ROASTED TOMATO SOUP

Ingredients:

3 lbs ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tbs kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 yellow onions, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 quart of chicken broth

2 Tbs butter

a few shakes of red pepper flakes

1 large can of plum tomatoes and their juice

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1 large package of fresh basil leaves, chopped (about 3 cups)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

In a large soup pot saute onions with 2 tables of olive oil over medium heat until nearly soft.  Add garlic and saute for one minute.  Add the butter and red pepper flakes and continue to saute until onions start to brown.  Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme and chicken broth, stir and let rest.

Meanwhile toss the tomatoes on a sheet pan with remaining olive oil, salt and pepper.   Spread the tomatoes in one layer and roast them for 45 minutes.

Add roasted tomatoes along with all the juice to the soup pot and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes.  Do not cook any longer or you will have spaghetti sauce.  Let soup cool somewhat and puree in a blender or food processor a few cups at a time.  Season to taste.

I made this recipe exactly as is, only halved it.  Half of it still made 7 servings, about 3/4-7/8 cup each, and only 100 calories. I will probably use it to add other stuff to it, like lots of veggies, or rice (tomato rice soup is one of my old comfort foods.  When I was sick, it was one of the few soups I would eat.)