Tortilla Soup

Serves: 12
Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients
-2 TBSP vegetable oil
-1 lb pkg of frozen pepper and onion stir fry mix
-2 minced cloves of garlic
-3 TBSP cumin
-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
-3, 4 oz cans chopped green chile peppers drained
-4, 14 oz cans vegetable broth
-11 oz can of whole kernel corn
-12 oz tortilla chips

1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in the stir fry mix, cumin, and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
2. Mix in the chile peppers and tomatoes. Then, pour in the broth.
3. Taste, and season with salt and/or pepper.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Mix in the corn and cook for 5 more minutes.
6. Serve in bowls over equal amounts of tortilla chips. Top with cheese and avocado!


Nutrition Facts: 315 calories

Mexican Spinach

Serves: 4

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

-1 cup fresh, chopped cilantro

-16 oz of fresh spinach

-2 Tbsp olive oil

-1 Tbsp cumin

-2 Tbsp chopped pickled jalapenos

-2 Tbsp liquid from pickled jalapenos jar

In order to wilt the spinach, you can either steam them or saute them. I'll put both methods...I sauteed them, because my steamer basket was dirty.

Saute: Pile all the spinach leaves into large skillet over medium-high heat. (Don't worry about burning them, the juices the spinach releases will keep it from burning). As the bottom-of-your-spinach-haystack leaves wilt, use a big wooden spoon or spatula to rotate the leaves until they are all wilted, and that nice pretty green.

Steam: Put 1 inch of water in a large saucepan, and bring it to a boil. Place spinach in steamer basket, and place over the water. Steam spinach about 1-2 minutes until wilted. Drain off any liquid.

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat, or add to skillet of wilted spinach. Mix in cilantro.

2. Add cumin and saute for about a minute.

3. Add jalapenos and pickling liquid to mixture.

4. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Nutrition Facts: One Serving= 1/2 cup, 116 calories.

Lentil Tacos

Serves: 6

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

- 1 finely chopped onion

- 1 minced garlic clove (I use the organic "pre-minced" squeeze bottle, so if you use that, it's roughly 1 squeeze)

- 1 tsp canola oil

-1 cup dried, rinsed lentils

-1 Tbsp chili powder

-2 tsp ground cumin

-1 tsp dried oregano

-2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

-1 cup of your favorite salsa

-12 corn tortillas

-taco toppings (lettuce, tomato, sour cream, etc.)

1. In a large, non stick skillet saute the onion and garlic in canola oil over Medium-High heat until tender.

2. Add lentils, and chili powder, cumin, and oregano, and stir for about a minute.

3. Add broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes until lentils are tender (mine took about 35). Spoon a couple out, taste, and if you need extra seasonings add them. ( I added a little more cumin).

4. Mash lentils. I found a fork to be the best method, and if they're tender enough it's pretty easy.

5. Stir in salsa for about a minute until heated.

6. Add about 1/4 cup of lentil "meat" to each warmed tortilla, and top with your favorite toppings.

Nutrition Facts: One Serving = 2 Tacos, 364 calories (this is calculated WITH all the toppings :) )

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