Yesterday we celebrated Family Day in Saskatchewan. I had fun in the kitchen creating a Mexican inspired soup from Dietitians of Canada's cookbook Cook! I hope other families gathered together to prepare and enjoy healthy meals too. We had soup for lunch and then went to my parents house for a lovely dinner. Taking time to sit down and eat together doesn't always happen in our fast paced lifestyle. I have many clients that are now making healthy eating a priority and as such they cook ahead on the weekend so that healthy meals are ready and waiting in their fridge or freezer. The soup recipe below makes 8 servings, so that will potentially feed you for a couple of meals (depending on how many mouths you're feeding).
So for today's question, I want to know:
What is your favourite big batch meal to feed a crowd?
Pinto bean tortilla soup
Makes 8 servings
This hearty, warming soup is a delicious way to get some
great soluble fiber from beans. It’s perfect for a cold Canadian winter
weeknight supper. Make the soup on the weekend and reheat it to serve
during the week.- Rimmed baking sheet
- Food processor or blender
| 1 1⁄2 cups | dried pinto beans | 375 mL |
| 1 | large onion, cut into 6 wedges | 1 |
| 5 | plum (Roma) tomatoes, quartered | 5 |
| 4 tsp | canola oil, divided | 20 mL |
| 4 | 5-inch (12.5 cm) corn tortillas, divided | 4 |
| 2 | cloves garlic, minced | 2 |
| 1 | jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely minced | 1 |
| 2 tsp | ground cumin | 10 mL |
| 1 tsp | ground coriander | 5 mL |
| 4 cups | reduced-sodium chicken broth | 1 L |
| 1 | bay leaf | 1 |
| 2 tbsp | tomato paste | 30 mL |
| 1 cup | frozen corn kernels | 250 mL |
| Pinch | salt | Pinch |
| 1⁄2 | avocado, chopped | 1/2 |
| 1⁄2 cup | shredded Cheddar cheese | 1⁄2 cup |
- Place beans in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover by at least 3 inches (7.5 cm). Cover and let soak overnight. Drain soaked beans and rinse well under cold water. Discard any shriveled beans or those that did not swell.
- Place beans in a large pot and add enough fresh cold water to cover by 3 inches (7.5 cm). Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes or until beans are tender. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Place onion and tomatoes on baking sheet and brush with 1 tsp (5 mL) of the oil. Broil, turning every 5 minutes, for about 15 minutes or until charred. Transfer to food processor and process until smooth. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).
- Cut tortillas into 2- by 1⁄4-inch (5 by 0.5 cm) strips.
- In a clean large pot, heat 2 tsp (10 mL) oil over medium heat. Add half the tortilla strips, garlic and jalapeño; sauté for 3 minutes. Stir in cumin and coriander. Add broth and deglaze the pot, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom. Add bay leaf and bring to a boil. Stir in puréed onion mixture and tomato paste; return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Stir in corn and cooked pinto beans; simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Discard bay leaf.
- Meanwhile, gently toss the remaining tortilla strips with the remaining oil and the salt. Spread on a baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until crisp.
- Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with baked tortilla strips, avocado and cheese.
© Cook! Dietitians of Canada. 2011. Published by Robert Rose Inc.
Tips
The tomatoes and onions can be broiled up to 1 day in advance. Let cool, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.| Steph (Wheler) Langdon, RD | ||||||
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