Mexican Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

1/2 large vidalia onion, sliced in very thin half moons

1 orange bell pepper, sliced very thin

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalepeno pepper, diced

2-3 ears sweet corn, cooked and cut off cob (canned or frozen corn works too)

1 14.5 oz. can cannelini beans, rinsed and drained

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

2 limes

1/4 cilantro

Salt to taste

2 tbs. cumin

2 tbs. vegetable oil

Sour cream, optional garnish

Crispy tortillas strips, optional garnish

Directions


1. Heat vegetable oil over medium heat in a medium dutch over or heavy-bottom stock pot. Saute onion, bell pepper and a pinch of salt until soft and the onion is translucent. Take care not to brown. Add garlic, corn and cumin and saute for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add jalepeno and cannelini beans and cook for another three to four minutes.

2. Add crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 1 cup chicken broth. Add more if the soup is too thick. Stir in 1-2 tbsp. salt to taste. Start with 1 tbsp and add as necessary. Remember, you can always add more, but can't take it out!

3. Once the soup comes to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Right before ready to serve, remove from heat, add the juice of 1 lime and stir in the cilantro. You can leave the cilantro out if you don't like it, but it really adds a nice freshness.

4. Serve soup with a small dollop of sour cream, crispy tortillas strips and a wedge of lime.

This is a great, fresh soup! Despite the lack of meat, the beans and corn make it very filling. Even my carnivorous husband loved it! "Best soup yet" was his response to be precise.

For those of you not living as an herbivore, go ahead and add some shredded chicken.

ENJOY!