Viva!!!

Alright, it is Sunday and I'm a spinning slacker. Shhhhh. Again, not a peep. I've made a deal with myself that if I don't spin (which I've already bailed on) that this house needs to be spotless and the yard needs to be mowed.

But first, a minor diversion!!!

Anne-Marie over at This Mama Cooks! put out a call for healthy Mexican recipes. Of course, since once upon a time, I used to live in Mexico, I have to represent! Especially since the American version of most Mexican foods is horribly fatty and not at all what it is like in Mexico. So here is my recipe for Sopa de Tortilla (sometimes called Sopa Azteca).

Sopa de Tortilla is perhaps one of the simplest soups to make with the longest list of ingredients. It is yummy and surprisingly light and is a great way to use up leftover chicken. Though there are a multitude of ways to 'fatten' this soup up, the version below (minus the garnishes) is quite points friendly.

Fat Grl's Sopa de Tortilla
2 pasilla chilies
2 ancho chilies
(note: both pasilla and ancho chilies can be purchased dried and reconstituted. Check your local supermarket in the Mexican food aisle. They are usually in a bag. You could also substitute with chipotle chilies en adobo (in a can) but don't go overboard because they have a very strong flavor)
1 can of diced, no-salt added tomatoes
1 white onion, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, chopped coarsely
1 Tbsp olive or corn oil
2 sprigs of epazote (a Mexican herb which can be replaced with cilantro)
2+ quarts of chicken broth (I usually make my stock using bouillon so I don't always measure precisely -- my rule of thumb, if the stock taste too strong, dilute a bit)

Reconstitute the chilies in hot water. When they are soft, remove stems and seeds. In a blender or food processor, blend chilies, onion, garlic, tomatoes and some of the epazote or cilantro. Blend until smooth, adding water as needed. You can strain this mixture if you prefer, but I find it to be an unnecessary added step. Strain if you prefer a clear, chunk free broth.

In a large stock pot, heat 1 Tbsp of oil. Add the mixture of chilies and cook until it has thickened. Add the chicken stock and epazote. Simmer for 25 minutes or until hot. Remove epazote prior to serving.

But wait, this is Sopa de Tortilla! Where's the tortillas? Patience, young grasshopper!

No Sopa de Tortilla is complete without the accoutrements! Warning, this list may seem long, but it is dang easy to assemble...

As the broth is simmering away, gather up the following:
limes, lots of limes! Cut into wedges
diced or shredded chicken breast (or whatever you have leftover)
cooking spray
12 corn tortillas (the small ones)
2 avocados, diced
1 cup of cheese -- traditionally this soup is served with panela cheese, I like queso fresco. (Recently both of these have started showing up in my local supermarket. A mild feta or a 2% cheddar would work too.)
Crema mexicana or it's healthier cousin, low-fat sour cream

Turn your oven broiler on high. Slice the tortillas into approximately 1/4 inch strips. Cover a cookie sheet in tin foil (easy clean up). Spray foil with cooking spray. Lay a single layer of tortillas on the cookie sheet then spray again with cooking spray. Broil until crispy, turning halfway through.

To serve:
Add diced chicken to a soup bowl. Ladle hot soup over the top. Top with avocado, cheese, crema and tortillas. Give a generous squeeze of lime.

Approximate points value of the broth is 0.
Point value of the garnishes and chicken just depends on what you add. You can easily keep the value between 6-8pts for a generous serving. Keep in mind, the broth is extremely flavorful and you will not need a lot of garnish (cheese and cream).

Enjoy!

A note about Fat Grl's cooking: I am not, NOT, a perfectionist. I add a little more of this, a little less of that. This is the bones -- change it how you like!

And that is my healthy Mexican recipe!

Have a great sunshiney day!

FGS