Southwestern Vegetable Soup

Southwestern Vegetable Soup

adapted from Rachel Ray Every Day October 2011 

This soup is a bit spicy if you want to tone down the spice use tomatoes without chiles and / or eliminate the jalapeno.

To make a heartier soup add leftover shredded chicken for no additional points.

Makes 4 servings                            0 WW Blue points/ serving

Cooking spray

1 cup corn, canned, frozen thawed or fresh

1/2 medium zucchini, diced

1 jalapeno chile pepper, finely chopped

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

1/2  red onion, chopped or whatever onion you have available

2 garlic scapes or garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder or other mild to medium-hot chile powder

3/4 tsp. ground cumin 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups Slow Cooker Vegetable stock mixed with 2 tsp. chicken base,  or Slow Cooker Poultry stock, or canned chicken or vegetable stock 

1 (10 oz.) can tomatoes with green chiles

1/2 (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed

A small handful cilantro leaves, chopped

1/2  lime, juiced

1. In a soup pot coated with cooking spray, cook the corn until it starts to lightly brown., about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the zucchini, chiles, bell pepper, onion, garlic, ancho chile powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes or until the vegetables soften.
3. Add the stock, beans and tomatoes and cook to combine and thicken a little, 5 to 6 minutes. 
4. Turn off the heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice; season with salt and pepper and serve.

Enjoy!