Chicken Tortilla Soup + 5 Ingredient Guacamole

The perfect Sunday afternoon for me starts with a pot of soup. Sundays have become "soupdays" at our house - especially this winter. While soup simmers on the stove I can get so much done around the house - vacuum the rugs, fold some laundry, empty the dishwasher, etc. Plus, having the leftovers in the fridge makes packing lunches for the week a cinch.

I have been pretty bad about posting recipes the past few months, but this one had to get on the blog ASAP! This is not a recipe to save for the weekends, either. Not only does it taste amazing, it comes together in under and hour making it perfect to throw together for a weeknight meal. If you buy your chicken already cooked it's even faster!

When making this chicken tortilla soup - I really don't advise housework unless you feel like you just have too. Instead, throw together this five ingredient guacamole (a great soup topper) and make a pitcher of margaritas. Trust me!

Serves 4

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 large chicken breasts (cooked)

6 cups of chicken broth

2 tbs canola oil

2 green onions chopped (white and green bits)

1 small yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

Juice of 1-2 limes

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped finely

1 tbs cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper

3/4 cup of black beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup roasted corn, seasoned with cayenne, cumin, and salt

salt and pepper to taste

Optional toppings: guacamole, queso fresco, tortilla strips, and fresh jalapeno slices

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed stock pot. Add onions, garlic, and peppers. Saute on medium-high heat until tender about 4 minutes. Add chicken broth, chicken, beans to the onion mixture. Season with lime juice, cilantro, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. Allow flavors to come together while you roast the corn, reducing heat if needed.

In a cast iron skillet, add corn (either cut from the cob or frozen) and stir to ensure even seasoning. On high heat, allow the corn to brown, stirring minimally, and then add to soup. 

Allow soup to simmer on low for about 20 minutes. Taste regularly and adjust seasoning as preferred.

While soup simmers, throw together guacamole. It is delicious stirred into the soup and along side with some chips. 

5 Ingredient Guacamole

2 ripe avocados

1/2 small yellow onion, chopped

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Juice from 1 lime

Salt to taste (a little cumin and cayenne pepper are nice too!)

Add all ingredients to your food processor or blender on low until you reach desired consistency. 

Cardamon Almond Loaf Cake

Recently, I began testing out alternative flours in the kitchen. I failed, more than once, before starting to get the hang of one in particular - almond flour.

So why, almond flour? In this recipe, it's nutty flavor pairs perfectly with the cardamon. The texture is a little dense, but still fluffy and moist kind of like a pound cake. Not to mention, almond flour has a ton of health benefits. It is a good source of protein and antioxidants, and is loaded with calcium, iron, and fiber.

The almonds on top add a slight crunch, plus even more protein. Besides, almonds are such a super-food! If not already, I highly recommend adding a regular dose of almonds to your weekly snacks. They help control blood sugar and cholesterol, build muscle, and increase your metabolism.

If you can't find almond flour at your grocery, or want more information about its health benefits, definitely check out nuts.com. They have a great selection of nuts and alternative flours! Click here for a link to their almonds page!

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cardamom
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups almond flour

Preparation

Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Grease a 9x5x3” loaf pan.

Whisk baking powder, cardamom, salt, and flours in a medium bowl; set aside. 

Whisk milk and sour cream in a small bowl; set aside.

Using a stand mixer on high speed, beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of bowl with a spatula, then add vanilla and almond extracts.

Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream mixture; beat just until combined.

Scrape batter into prepared pan, smooth top, and sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Bake cake, rotating halfway through, until golden brown, about 55–65 minutes. (You might try tenting with foil if browning too quickly.)

Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 15 minutes. Gently remove cake from pan and transfer to rack; let cool.

Enjoy warm with a drizzle of honey and some fresh fruit!