Tortilla Soup

Not sure where I ever got the taste for tortilla soup but every so often I get a craving for a bowl of this yummy soup. There are many recipes for tortilla soup that just are soup with tortillas in it but I wanted a recipe with tortillas actually as an ingredient. This soup came together quickly and was delicious. Adjust the amount of cilantro depending on how much you like cilantro but don't omit it entirely or else you lose a vital flavour.

Tortilla Soup

4 cups veggie stock
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 green onions, sliced with the green parts
8 roma tomatoes, roughly chopped (or one can of diced tomatoes)
a handful of cilantro, chopped
1 tsp chili powder
1.5 tsp cumin
3-4 handfuls of tortilla chips (and more for on top)
salt, to taste
1/2 cup corn kernels
1.5 cups cooked black beans

In a medium stock pot, bring to a boil the stock, onions, garlic and green onions. When it's boiling, add the tomatoes and bring to a boil again. Toss in the cilantro, the chili powder, the cumin and the tortilla chips. Remove from the heat. Once the chips have gone soggy, use an immersion blender to blend it all smooth.

Taste and add salt to taste depending on how salty your chips are.

Add the corn and beans and heat back up to a boil.

Serve with a few crushed tortilla chips on top. You could also add chunks of avocado if you wanted!

Another avocado recipe

I have been away for the past couple of weeks (well, no not really but over the weekends)so there have been no new posts. Don't despair veganites! I am always thinking about what I am going to post next. That being said, I will be away this week again trying new foods in San Diego. I'll try to get some new yummy recipes.

This is a warm avocado dip that I made that called for the dip to be put back in the avocado shells and then baked. I would skip that step and just put it in a small oven-proof dish and heat it that way. Makes for easier dipping.

Spicy Stuffed Avocados

2 ripe avocados
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion (the smaller the chunks the better for getting it onto your nacho chips or crackers)
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 green onion chopped
1 jalapeño stem and seeds removed and diced
1 red/yellow/orange pepper chopped small like the onion
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
1 tbsp Tabasco or frank's hot sauce or other vinegary hot sauce
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Warm the oil over medium heat in a frying pan. Sauté the red onion, garlic, green onion and jalapeño. When the onions begin to soften, stir in the peppers, salt and cilantro. Slice the avocados and mash the flesh into the frying pan. Add the hot sauces and cook for about 5 minutes until it is all mashed together. Stir in lemon or lime juice. Taste and season more if needed. Return the mixture to the avocado shells or put in a small oven-proof dish. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove and eat with nacho chips or crackers. This would probably be good cold too. I thought it would be a great layer on the 7 layer dip with beans and salsa (so mine would be a 3 layer dip) but easy to take to an appy party or potluck.