Tex-Mex Chicken & Black Bean Soup

One of the hardest things about raising kids is getting them to actually eat the dinner you cook for them.

I have spent years training my kids to eat vegetables. I place one or two bites on their plates and tell them they don’t have to eat it…but they can’t have a “treat” after dinner if they don’t.

They almost always do.

I have learned to rate the healthfulness of my meal by the sound of puke sounds at the dinner table (gross I know…but I have one kid that HATES squash).

But this Tex-Mex Chicken & Black Bean soup is a favorite across the board!

I love that it’s so easy to customize the ingredients to what you like. I could eat this everyday and not get tired of it!

Hope you love it too!

Tex-Mex Chicken & Black Bean Soup

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40–45 minutes
Serves: 4–6

Tex-Mex Seasoning Mix Ingredients:

¼ c. chili powder
2 T. ground cumin
2 t. ground coriander
1 T. garlic powder
2 t. smoked paprika
1 t. fine sea salt
½ t. black pepper

Ingredients:

2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
2–3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ medium white onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 14-oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes with green chilies, with liquid
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 whole bay leaves
3½ c. chicken broth, preferably organic
1 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c. sweet corn kernels
3 T. fresh lime juice

To Serve:
1 large avocado, diced
Fresh cilantro, chopped
1 large lime, cut into wedges

Directions:

1. To prepare the Tex-Mex seasoning mix, combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and stir to combine. Transfer to an airtight storage container and store in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.

2. Add olive oil, garlic, onion, and red bell pepper to a large, high-sided skillet set over medium heat. Sprinkle two tablespoons of the Tex-Mex seasoning mix on top and stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender and start to develop some color, approximately 4–5 minutes.

3. Add fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans, bay leaves, and chicken broth and stir to combine. Nestle the chicken breasts into the skillet so they are completely submerged in the liquid.

4. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a rapid boil, then immediately reduce heat to just below medium. Cover skillet loosely with a lid and simmer for 35–40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily with two forks.

5. Stir in corn and fresh lime juice and simmer until heated through, approximately 5–10 minutes. Remove from heat and discard bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired, and serve immediately topped with diced avocado, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges for squeezing.

Feel free to add or subtract any of the ingredients to make it spicier or less spicy.

My kids added tortilla chips and it was a #MOMWIN (aka no puke sounds healthy meal)!

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How to Cook Tofu

Nutrition, Recipes, WFPB

Tofu seems scary to those new to clean eating. So I thought that maybe a post teaching you how to cook tofu would be beneficial…since my family LOVES tofu…I want yours to too!

What is Tofu?

Tofu is a condensed soy milk that is made into a block…kind of like a cheese. It comes in a variety of forms, but I tend to go with the extra firm because I find it holds the cube shape that we typically eat.

You can find tofu in the produce section of your grocery store. Here’s the one we have locally.

Tofu is packaged in water. So be careful not to tip the container as you’re opening (as I did while opening this one). Just cut a small opening in the top and drain the water before completely removing the top seal.

Then I place it on a cutting board and pat all edges with a paper towel to try and dry it off as much as possible. (I’d recommend turning on your skillet at this point so that it’s warm and ready for you. Also add a tablespoon of avocado oil or olive oil.)

Then I cut the tofu block in half horizontally…parallel to the cutting board.

Then I make 4 vertical cuts on the short side.

Then I make 3 vertical cuts on the long side.

You should have little squares of tofu at this point.

I dump all this into the pan and season it. I typically use garlic powder and onion salt as seasonings, but really you could use anything. I’ve used taco seasoning before too. It just depends on what type of meal you are making.

I continue to cook the tofu until it’s browned…or mostly browned depending on how hungry I am at that point and my level of patience.

Then I assemble my meal. This time I made a Pineapple Tofu Bowl. I used my rice cooker to make perfect rice, placed the rice at the bottom of the bowl and topped it with some lettuce, carrot, pineapple, tofu (obviously) and some chopped cashews.

Knowing me, I probably put some tahini (sesame seed paste) on top because I love the stuff!

You could really make a meal with tofu, rice and lettuce and then vary the toppings every day of the week and I would never get tired of it.

Hope this helped you learn how to cook tofu.

Are you willing to try it now?

Your Health Coach,

Sarah

PS – Did you know that the FASTer Way to Fat Loss program offers vegan and omnivore meal plans? Join me for the next 6 week round to help solidify your healthy habits for a long life.

WFPB Breakfast: Overnight Oats

Recipes, WFPB

I’m not a huge fan of oatmeal, in all honesty, but these overnight oats are a great, easy breakfast idea when you’re trying to stick to a whole food plant based way of living.