Tortilla soup is one of my comfort foods. There are many versions, but I like this one. And although traditionally tortilla soup is made with chicken, I’ve substituted pepita seeds, black beans, and corn to boost protein. In this version, the tortilla strips are baked rather than fried, so there’s no added fats or oil. It’s a clean soup that is figure friendly, nutrient-dense, and oh so satisfying like a warm hug.

Recipe Notes: What you’ll need: Foil lined baking sheet, 4-qt saucepan, and blender. Active prep time: 20-minutes. Cooking time: 10-minutes. Yields (4) 2cup servings. Difficulty level: Very easy

Ingredients:

• 6-8-Corn Tortillas
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• 8-Roma tomatoes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
• 1 1/2 quarts vegetable stock
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• 2-bay leaves
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• 1-avocado cubed
• 1 ½ cups cooked or canned black beans
• 1-cup fresh or frozen corn
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• chopped cilantro for garnish
• 3-sliced radishes
• 1-cup raw pumpkin (pepita) seeds
• Cheddar cheese (optional)
• 1-scallion thinly sliced
• Lime wedges

Preparation:

1. Stack and cut tortillas in strips and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
2. Bake @350 degrees until strips are golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside
3. In a blender, add onion, garlic, tomatoes, cilantro, seasoning, and stock.
4. Pulse until smooth.
5. Pour soup in a 4-qt saucepan, add bay leaves, 1/3 of baked tortilla strips and simmer for 20-minutes
6. In a soup bowl, add avocado, beans, and corn
7. Ladle soup in a bowl and garnish with cilantro, tortilla strips, radishes, seeds, scallions, and cheese (optional).
8. Serve with lime wedges