Healthy Taco Soup

I’ve learned a lot this year. One of those lessons is…

“Our health isn’t always measured by what we ARE eating, many times it’s what we AREN’T eating.”

This perspective eased my inclination toward rebellion. I’m laughing. It sounds ridiculous, right? You wouldn’t know it but I used to feel it rise up when I thought about elimination diets, calorie control, cutting sweets and the like.

So focusing on INCREASING instead of decreasing gave me a wonderful start in my journey to healing.

What does this have to do with Taco Soup? Well, I ate this yummy soup at a sweet friend’s home. She is a Mom of 8 and had thrown 6 or so things in a crockpot to feed a crowd. It was so simple yet satisfying and delicious. I made it days later for my family because my kids loved it so much.

It is now a family favorite! You can’t go wrong with the flavors in this soup. You can add, omit, be creative. As long as you have those amazing first six ingredients…you’ll be good to go.

Increasing the vegetables to feed the gut’s microbiome is always on my mind. Have you read that each strand of beneficial bacteria consumes different types of plants that we eat? So diversity in our diet is important! Another simple goal that doesn’t spark rebellion. 😄

This soup has celery, onions, carrots, peppers, corn, black beans, cilantro, ground meat, chicken stock and spices. Crushed garlic also works well in it!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground meat
• 1 red onion (diced)
• 4-5 cups of carrots (sliced)
• 1 heart of celery (sliced)
• 3 sweet peppers (~1/2 c diced)
• 2 cans/31 oz black beans
• 2 cartons of chicken stock
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 c tomato paste
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp TJ’s 21 Seasoning Salute
• 1 TB Dried Parsley
• Salt and Pepper

How to Make Taco Soup:

1. Dice veggies while ground meat is cooking.
2. Drain meat.
3. Add veggies to meat.
4. Cook until tender if you want dinner in a hurry THEN add stock and all other ingredients.
5. If you’re not in a hurry add all the ingredients to the meat and cook until vegetables are tender.
6. Salt and pepper to taste.
7. Top with cilantro and crushed tortilla chips!

Notes:

*Make it Vegan: Use Vegetable Stock, meat alternative or simply omit the meat altogether. I bet a different variety of bean in the meat’s place would be fun! Perhaps Cannellini or Pink Beans!?

*Additions: crushed garlic, different spices, green chilies, top with avocado, sour cream and cheese. The options are endless!

Enjoy!