$2 Chicken Tortilla Soup

Fall is definitely in the air – it was only 31 degrees yesterday morning when I left for work.  We are going to take down our gazebo this weekend, which is always the sign for the end of summer.

I found a Jimmy Dean breakfast bowl in my deep freeze, who knows how long its been there.  I have to think a while, because the eggs almost tasted rubbery.  But I was running late and it was easy – I had a cup of un-photographed fruit on the side.  Breakfast comes in at 286 calories, 8.23 fat, 30 carbs, 2.6 fiber and 22 protein.

I made it to the gym at lunch – this time did 9.31 miles in 35 minutes, then did 10 minutes of abs with the balance ball.

Only 85 miles left in my 170 mile challenge – woot!

You know over the summer how I used to do cookouts at my office on Fridays.  I didn’t do too many this past summer because everyone really needs to be in the office to make it cost effective for me and, um, its kind of a lot of work. 

I decided to do Soup Friday’s though!  Yesterday was my first one.  Soup is easy.  I just put it in the crockpot around ten, and my noon it was ready to go.  I asked for a $2 donation and ended up making $12, plus I have lots of leftovers!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

• makes 8 GENEROUS servings (about 1.75 cups)
• 231 calories, 4.8 fat, 32 carbs, 6.6 fiber and 14 protein

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds diced chicken breast
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• pinch of salt
• pinch of cracked pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon chile para naranja (if you can’t find, use chili powder)**
• 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano (or regular dried oregano)
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• Two, 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• Two, 15 oz. cans white canned corn, drained
• Two, 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
• 32 oz. box of chicken stock

Heat the oil in a big stock pot.  Salt and pepper the chicken and sear the chicken, so it gets golden, but not cooked through.  Remove from pan. 

Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, poblano pepper and all the seasonings.  Reduce heat to medium low and cook until the pepper is soft.  I don’t like too chunky of tomatoes in soup (that sentence sounds awful!), so at this point I pureed everything.

Then I added the chicken back in, the black beans and corn and simmered for 15 more minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

I brought garnishes too!  Sliced limes, cilantro, sliced jalapeno and fried tortilla strips.  I couldn’t help it, the deep fryer is still in the kitchen from when I made the Chik-fil-A sammies!  I loved the added crunch on the top.  My bowl with the toppings comes in at 332 calories, 6 fat, 51 carbs, 10 fiber (nice!) and 21 protein.

** this is what my seasoning looks like.  Even though it says “chile for orange” it’s actually paprika chili, sugar, lemon and salt.

This is what I call a “company” soup because it isn’t too spicy.  I also had three hot sauces if anyone wanted to kick it up.  I was fine with the jalapenos.  It got rave reviews.  I kept forwarding Tony emails I got from my co-workers saying how good it was – and I always tell him “I am changing lives, one bowl of soup at a time!”

So you know how I am always wanting to have Party Pizza Friday.  Well guess what.  Yesterday I wasn’t in the mood for pizza – I know!  I think I should take my temperature.

With the $12 from my lunch sales burning a whole in my pocket, I went to the store to see what I could come up with for dinner.  I had surf and turf on the brain.

I ended up getting half a pound of shrimp for $4.71 cents and two steaks for $5.03.  Tony and I even split a steak, so our surf and turf dinner comes in at $7.21.  Not too shabby for date night in!

The star of the plate?  The shrimp scampi.  Usually in restaurants its just sitting in a pool of butter, which typically I don’t mind, but I wanted to come up with a slightly lighter version.

Shrimp Scampi

• serves 2
• 200 calories, 10 fat, 3 carbs, 2 fiber and 21 protein

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound shrimp
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 ounces white wine
• 2 heaping teaspoons minced garlic
• salt and pepper
• juice of half a lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (I added it just to mine)

Melt the butter and oil over medium high heat.  Salt and pepper the shrimp and toss them in the pan.  Once one side is cooked, flip it over, add the garlic, wine, lemon juice and cook another minute until the shrimp is cooked through.  Remove from heat and sprinkle with the parsley.

Our steak in total was 8 ounces, so we eat got a 4 ounce portion.

I used our indoor cast iron grill pan.  The secret to medium rare steak?  High heat, then 2x2x2x2.  Two minutes on one side, two minutes on the other side, then two minutes flipped the other way so you get the cross marks, then two minutes and you are done.  Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

This plate of goodness comes in at 372 calories, 16 fat, 3 carbs, .2 fiber and 51 protein.  I’d say that’s a Paleo dinner, wouldn’t you?

So this morning when I added up my eats for the day?  I was only at like 1000 calories!  Which would explain why I ate 450 calories worth of potato chips while watching t.v. last night.

Stats:

• 1442 calories, 60 fat, 128 carbs, 17 fiber and 101 protein
• 9.31 bike ride at lunch
• average blood sugar 151

I get to see Hannah today!!!  She’s back in town to babysit overnight at one of the families she used to babysit for.  It’s actually 4 families with 8 kids ranging in age from 4 to 10.  The parents have an annual Halloween party.  Hannah watches the kids in one house, they all sleep over there, then Hannah wakes up and makes them breakfast.   The parents end up sleeping in and then having a brunch for the adults at noon.  It’s a sweet gig because she gets paid by each family – I think she made like $300 bucks last year?

Then I’ll pick her up tomorrow and we are going to go thrifting before she heads back home.  I miss her face!

Hope you have a great weekend!