Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup:

1 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano (optional)

1/4 teaspoon chili powder (or to taste)

4 cups vegetable broth

2-3 cups water

3 cups pinto beans, cooked

salt to taste

6 corn tortillas

1 large lime, cut into 6 wedges

1 ripe large avocado, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

4 cups chopped spinach, chard, or kale leaves

1. Add can of tomatoes to a blender.

2. Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook till brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Pour it all into the blender along with the chilli powder and process until smooth.

3. Pour mixture back into sauce pot and heat on medium. Stir consistently for about 5 mins. Let thicken. Add broth, water, oregano (if using), and drained pinto beans. Bring to a boil, then adjust heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes.

4. While the soup is cooking, prepare the tortillas. Preheat oven to 375F. Cut each tortilla in half (can be done in a stack if you have a sharp knife). Then cut each half into 1/4-inch wide strips. Place the strips in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt,pepper, a little chilli powder or cumin if you want. Bake for about 15 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven.

5. Add spinach (or chard or kale) to the soup. Cook, stirring, until the greens are wilted, about 2 minutes or so depending.

Serve the soup topped with avocado and tortilla chips in soup bowls. Serve with lime wedges. It taste awesome to squeeze juice of 1-2 lime wedges in soup. MMmmmm Enjoy!