Chicken Avocado Soup

It's been awhile. I know, I know. Life has gotten the best of me. Occasionally I find a good fifteen minutes to make the effort right away, especially when I have request...like for this yummy recipe. I found this yummy recipe on one of my favorite sites Skinnytaste.com, but have adjusted it here & there to make it much easier. Here's the basic recipe w/ my input in blue:

Chicken and Avocado Soup
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes 
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1 bowl • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 285.8 • Fat: 16.8 g • Carb: 14.4 g • Fiber: 7.5 g • Protein: 22.1 g 

• 5 cups chicken broth (I use about 3 cans of low/no sodium & fat free broth)
• 2 cups shredded chicken breast (about two or three whole breast)
• 1 tomato, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-1/2 cups scallions, chopped fine (if no scallions, I've used half an onion chopped)
• 2 ripe avocados, diced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped fine
• 4 lime wedges
• 2 tsp olive oil
• salt + fresh pepper to taste
• pinch cumin
• pinch chipotle chile powder  or red pepper flakes (optional)

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add 1 cup of scallions (or onions) and garlic. Sauté about 2 minutes then add tomatoes and sauté another minute, until soft. Add chicken stock, cumin and chile powder and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered on low for about 15-20 minutes.

In four bowls, fill each with 1/2 cup chicken, 1/2 avocado, remainder of the scallions( onions), and cilantro. Ladle 1 cup chicken broth over the chicken and serve with a lime wedge.

My Notes: 
First off, I never have chicken shredded in time. So the very first thing I do is grab two or three chicken breast (thawed), put them in a pot with the required chicken broth, and add one more can of water. I bring it to a boil and once at a boil, I cover the pan & lower the temp to a simmer. Let the chicken cook for 15-20 minutes. Make sure that once it boils to lower the temp right away! If you don't, the liquid will evaporate.

While the chicken is cooking, I saute my onions & garlic for 2 minutes. Then I add chopped fresh tomatos to saute another 2 minutes. Then I remove it off the burner so they don't over cook. I chop up my cilanto & avocado to set aside.

Once your chicken is cooked, remove the chicken breast and shred it with a fork. Once shredded, place the chicken back in the pot. Add your cumin, salt & pepper, and chile powder/red pepper flakes. Mix to dissolve. Then add your cilantro and avocado. Cover and simmer on real low for 20 minutes. While simmering, I make some jasmine rice and cut up limes for garnish.

When soup is done simmering, just ladle in a bowl. Garnish with a lil' cilantro. I usually put my rice & lime on a small side plate. Viola! You got an easy, simple healthy soup. My family LOVES it!

Let me know when you make it & how you like it! I think I make more of the effort to post recipes when I know people actually use them & like them! Enjoy!

MISO soup

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Ingredients

• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup miso paste
• 4 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/3 cup diced firm tofu
• 2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• dried seaweed
  

Directions

1. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a saucepan. Add the seaweed, reduce heat to low, and simmer 4 minutes. Stir the miso paste and soy sauce together in a small bowl; add to the broth along with the tofu and continue cooking for 1 minute more. Pour the soup into bowls and top with the green onions to serve.

NOTES: Mmmmmm! This is our family's favorite Japanese soup. Our kids LOVE it! We always order it when we go out to a restaurant, and I was determined to learn how to make it at home. I scored some tofu for 2 for $5...so I HAD to make it! The miso paste I actually had to go to a asian market to buy, but I got a large bag of it for only $5. The paste can last up to a year in the frig, so you can save LOTS of money with it! The seaweed I actually added to the ingredients. I basically bought dried seaweed (like the ones you make sushi rolls with) and tore piece to put in the soup. Next time I'm going to make the soup with shitake mushrooms. It was DELICIOUS and a hit in our home! YEAH for homemade Japanese soup!! Thanks to allrecipe.com for providing the basic recipe.

PS. If you live near me and would like to try this recipe...I have tofu and paste you can use if you'd like!

Black Bean Soup!

(Note- This picture makes it look really tomato based. IT'S NOT!)

Okay this recipe is absolutely DELICIOUS! I will make it again & again! I think I picked this recipe out of a baby magazine years ago. My daughter loves soups & beans, so I totally scored on this recipe for her. My son...well just the opposite. What do you expect? He's 2. Oh and another round of applause....I used my Kitchen Aid food processor....
LOVE IT!

Ingredients:
2 cans (16 oz each) black beans, undrained
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
Nonstick cooking spray
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 jar (16 oz) of salsa. (I used only half the jar. You pick your spiciness. I did Mild!)
4 teaspn. lime juice (I substituted lemon instead)
2 teaspn. ground cumin
1/4 teaspn. of crushed red pepper ( I didn't have crushed, so instead I took a half of a red pepper and chopped it)

Directions:
Place 1 can beans with liquid and broth in blender or food processor; cover. Blend till smoothed. Coat large skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add onion, red pepper, & garlic. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until onion is tender.

Add blended bean mixture, remaining beans and liquid, salsa, lime juice, and cumin. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and cover.

Cook stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. Served topped with yogurt, sour cream, cheese, &/or cilantro.

4 servings. 223 cal per serving, 0 total fat, 0 chol, 42g total carbo, 12 g protein, 10g fiber, and 5g sugar.