Wholesome Goodness

As much as I enjoy cooking, I have those days when I’m just too tired or too busy to put much time into dinner.  If I’m not prepared for these occasions, this can mean a trip to a restaurant.  That gets expensive in a hurry, especially if I still attempt to eat healthfully.  Or, I might scrounge around the house for something…shall we say…less than ideal nutritionally. 

It is so much more realistic when I have a plan for these inevitable occasions.  No, this recipe might not have a perfect nutrtional profile, but it’s not too shabby.  And it’s a heck of a lot better than just throwing my hands into the air and giving in to whatever.  The ingredients are common and can be kept in the house at all times.  Better still, it’s SO fast and SO easy, it almost doesn’t count as cooking at all. 

Oh, it happens to be tasty too.  Very, very tasty.  I’ve been making some version of this soup for years, and I still love it.  My husband really enjoys it too.  I just give myself all the broth and make his bowl more chunky (like stew).  That way he gets full, even though it’s soup.  Another filling option would be to serve it over brown rice, but that would add to the prep time. 

Busy Day Mexican Chicken Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped (other colors work too)
1 can Rotel tomatoes (diced tomatoes with green chilies)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans chunk chicken breast (use cooked fresh chicken breasts if you have more time)
2 to 3 cans chicken broth, depending on how soupy you like your soup
1 teaspoon chili powder, or more to taste (I like more)
1 teaspoon cumin, or more to taste (I like more of this too)

Step 1: Put all ingredients into a pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until veggies are tender.  This won’t take long at all–just a few minutes.

Step 2: Uh, that’s it!  Serve with chopped fresh cilantro.  (Tortilla chips and cheese are good too, though not at all healthy.)

Note: If canned chicken breast creeps you out, just keep some cubed cooked chicken breast in your freezer and throw some into the soup as needed.