Mom's Tortilla Soup

 Mom's Tortilla Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
8-12 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8-12 guajillo peppers (available at Mexican specialty markets)
16 cups chicken broth, divided
salt
Corn tortillas
Canola oil
Cheese (cojito, jack, or cheddar)
Sour cream
Avocado, sliced

In a large pot, boil the peppers in 4 cups of chicken broth until they're soft (about 20-30 min). Remove peppers from the broth; add the remaining broth to the pot and simmer.
Remove the seeds and veins from the peppers, scrape the fleshy part off of the skin (you end up with a paste) and put it back into the broth.
Saute the onion and garlic in the oil until tender. Add them to the broth. Add salt to taste and blenderize until smooth (we use a stick blender). Simmer for at least one hour.
While the soup is simmering, cut the tortillas into small strips and fry in canola oil until crispy.
Makes about 16 x 1-cup servings of soup (50 cal). Serve with fried tortilla strips, cheese, sour cream, and avocado if desired.

I've been kind of obsessed with my mom's tortilla soup recently. It is so spicy and delicious, and she's got it down to only 50 calories per cup. I usually eat it with a little shredded cheese (usually cheddar) melted into it and a tbsp or so of sour cream, and sometimes some avocado for some healthy fat. I pretty much always skip the fried tortilla strips, although it is really delicious with them if you don't mind the extra carbolicious calories! 
I think it makes a really great wintertime, post-sleeve meal because it goes down well and feels good in my tummy, yet keeps me pretty full because of the protein in the cheese. I've never made it before myself, but I think I'm going to give it a go with some homemade chicken stock after the holiday.

Low carb crepe recipe

Although I haven't tried these yet, I love the idea of them so much that I had to post them on here! Thanks to Linda at http://eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com/ for creating this awesome recipe.

Crepes

(Low-carb, higher-protein)

I use these in so many more ways than just “crepes”.   In both sweet or savory recipes, as wraps, tortillas, noodles – they are a great way to still make those dishes you love without the unneeded carbs.

Don’t be afraid of making crepes – and you don’t need a special pan.  The first one may flop, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly.   Then you can use them for enchiladas, burritos, lasagna, sandwiches, or just roll up with a sprinkle of Cinnamon-Splenda inside.  They’re a very versatile thing to keep on hand.  (They also freeze great.  Just put a piece of waxed paper, or plastic wrap between each one.)

You can add 1 tablespoon Splenda, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, or sweet spices for a sweet version.  Or herbs and other spices for savory.

These are very tender and will be more moist than regular crepes.  They are what I use in my Chicken Pot Pie with Crepes, which has been very popular.

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1/2 cup ricotta cheese

4 eggs

1/4 cup flour

3 tablespoons milk

Pinch of salt

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In a medium bowl beat the Ricotta with the eggs. Beat in the flour, salt, milk.   Allow to sit for 15 minutes.
Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Coat with vegetable cooking spray when hot. Pour in 2 tablespoons of batter and immediately swirl the pan to coat the entire surface in a thin layer. Allow to cook, without turning, until completely done. The top should be no longer shiny and when you touch it it’s not wet. The bottom will be have a very slight golden color. If it’s too dark, lower the heat.
(These are next to impossible to flip and they don’t need to be.) Gently loosen the edges with a spatula and slide out of the pan onto a plate. Very lightly spray the top with vegetable spray – this way you can stack them on top of each other.
Lightly coat the pan with cooking spray before each crepe. Proceed with above directions until batter is gone. Allow the crepes to cool to room temperature and then wrap the plate tightly with plastic wrap. These keep well in the fridge – unfilled – for several days.
Since these are so moist, letting them sit uncovered for a half hour or so will help them get that dry, ‘lacy’ edge.
Makes approx 12 crepes.
Per Crepe:   Calories 57; Protein 4 g; Fat 3 g; Carb 6 g; Sugar 1 g; Sodium 35 mg