Easy, Yummy, Healthy, Hearty Taco Soup

I told you I was going to post the recipe for the Taco Soup we had for dinner last night.  First of all, I have to say I LOVE this recipe!  This is definitely one of my “go-to” meals on crazy, busy, lazy, stressed out, “you name it!” nights!  When I don’t feel like cooking, but I want us to have something healthy for dinner, I make this.  Love it!

Here’s another reason why I love it…

The ingredients!!! First of all, they are healthy. Second of all, I stock up on these and then I always have them on hand (the only ingredients not pictured are meat and onion, which I always have on hand as well!) Love it!!

Anyway, here ya go….

1 lb. lean ground beef (I sometimes use lean ground turkey as well)
1 onion; chopped
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 (16 oz.) can corn
1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans; drained and rinsed
2 (14.5 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes (I’ve also used other kinds of canned tomatoes w/ good results.)
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
Tortilla Chips (optional)
Cheddar Cheese; shredded (optional)
Lite Sour Cream (optional)

Brown ground beef (or turkey) and onion in heavy saucepan.  Drain.

 

Stir in taco seasoning, corn, kidney beans, stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce.  (I chop up some of the big tomato chunks with kitchen shears sometimes too.)

This looks gross, I know. But, it's good!!

Simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Serve topped with sour cream, cheese and chips if desired.  Yum!

I usually skip all the usual toppings and just top mine with lite cottage cheese. It's awesome, I promise!

I’ve been making this recipe for years!  Some of my kids love it and some of them just tolerate it.  However, they all eat it.  We usually have leftovers as well and it makes an awesome lunch the next day!

Oh, I’ve even thrown this together before I head to the gym and then transferred it into my crock pot to simmer until I get home.  Works great!

Seriously, this is a healthy diet, busy mom (or busy anyone!) staple!

Getting Ready to RUN!!

I have to make this quick because I am a crazy lady.

We are getting ready and excited to run our relay race this weekend!  Woo Hoo!!  It’s called the Epic Cache-Teton Relay.  It’s a 12 person, 200+ mile relay race from  Logan, UT to Jackson, WY. 

It should be fun!

I am the 1st runner so it will be fun to kick it off!  I am running a total of 17.5 miles.  My longest “leg” is first (which I’m very glad about); it is 7.39 miles.  I just hope I feel good and strong and that my body cooperates!

Oh, this relay race also happens to fall on my husband’s 40th birthday and our 15th wedding anniversary!  Party on!  I will post some pics when we get back!

So, you probably won’t hear from me until Sunday or so….

Oh, I am sorry to report that because I have been INSANE this week trying to prepare for our race (plan for babysitter, food, clean house, pack, laundry, etc.) and live my everyday crazy life….I have been a little bit of a slacker.  I am on “survivor-mode”, which is just doin’ what I gotta do to survive.  So, I haven’t been a pig, but I’ve just been eating what’s simple, convenient and available.  I also haven’t been working out because I’ve wanted to “save” my body for the race.

But, as soon as I return and recover from this race, I will be on FI-YAH (a.k.a. fire).  I am going to recommit and kill it.  My life should significantly slow down soon too (fingers crossed).  Yay.  School is will be starting soon and I’m craving the scheduled life.

Anyway, I thought I would post a quick, yummy, easy dinner I made this week.  I doubled the recipe because we have a lot of kids and I like to freeze stuff.  I will post this like I made it (doubled), but you could easily half it as well.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 (15 ounce) cans Whole Kernel Corn, drained (or I just used a small bag of frozen corn which ended up being a little too much.)

2 (14.5 ounce) cans Chicken Broth

2 (10.5 ounce) cans Cream of Chicken Soup (I used Campbell’s Healthy Request)

Chicken; cooked and shredded (you could just boil/bake chicken breasts and shred them, use rotisserie chicken or even canned.  I just used some leftover cooked, shredded chicken that I had in the freezer.)

2 (15 ounce) cans Black Beans (drained and rinsed)

Rinse your black beans well!

2 (10 ounce) cans Diced Tomatoes with Green Chile Peppers, drained

Seasonings:  Cumin, Chili Powder and Garlic Powder (to taste…don’t be shy!)

Toppings:  Avocado, Sour Cream, Cheese, squeeze of lime (optional)

Here's all the "stuff" sans the chicken, seasonings, and toppings....

Open the cans of Corn, Chicken Broth, Cream of Chicken Soup, Black Beans, and Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies. Pour everything into a large saucepan or stock pot.  Add the Cooked Chicken and seasonings and simmer over medium heat until everything is heated through. 

This picture looks a little scary, but It's so yummy, I promise!

Top with desired toppings.  Enjoy!

Here's my yummy bowl of soup topped with avocado and served with a side of homemade "pita" chips! Yum! My kids and husband love to add cheese and sour cream too.

Here’s the yummy recipe for homemade pita chips that I LOVE!!  My kids love them too!  They are very difficult to make…so watch closely…;-)

Homemade Pita Chips

Whole Wheat Pita Bread (I used Oroweat’s Sandwich Thins this time because that’s what I had on hand)

Love these things! You can buy them anywhere! I buy them at Walmart or in bulk at Costco and freeze some!

Olive Oil Spray

Seasoned Salt

Lay the Pita Bread (or Sandwich Thins) on a cookie sheet.

Spray lightly with Olive Oil Spray.

Sprinkle with Seasoned Salt (I’ve also made these with cinnamon and sugar too!)

This is what I used

I use parchment paper, but it's not necessary

Broil for 3-5 minutes (until lightly browned).

Flip the pitas over.

Spray lightly with Olive Oil Spray (do not add more seasoning).

Broil for 2-3 minutes more until sorta kinda crisp.

Cut into wedges with a pizza cutter.

Enjoy!

I seriously LOVE these!  I could eat them all!  YUM!

Oh, and since I made so much soup, I froze it in individual containers!  Easy, fast, healthy lunch!

I gotta go!  I’m literally running out the door to head out for our relay race endeavors!  Wish me luck!!