I don’t know about you, but I’m so excited for the new year that I can hardly stand it.

With so much excitement coming up, it’s even more important to eat nourishing foods that keep our energy high and immune systems strong. Life’s too short to feel like crap, and the food you eat influences your mental and physical health more than just about anything on the planet.

Here’s a deliciously fun recipe to start off on the right foot.

I love tortilla soup, but all the cheese, tortillas and other extra usually turn it into an unhealthy mess. Enter my new Detoxing Fiesta Soup! It’s basically tortilla soup minus the cheese and tortillas, but you won’t even miss them.

I added black beans and quinoa to make it extra hearty and full of protein. It’s also loaded with veggies, and when you garnish it with cilantro and avocado it creates an amazing (and extra healthy) meal. Without any dairy, gluten or sugar to clog up your digestion, this soup will help detox your body after the holiday madness.

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This recipe makes a giant pot of food–it’s great to make for dinner then eat the leftovers for lunch for a day or two. Or, make it for a crowd (Super Bowl party, anyone?!)

Elizabeth’s Detoxing Fiesta Soup Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves about 8

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, scrubbed or peeled and finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño or serrano chili, finely sliced (leave out if you want your soup mild)
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder (or taco seasoning, whichever you have on hand)
• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes (include the juice in the can)
• 1 25-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (or use two 15 ounce cans)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 quart veggie or chicken stock
• 2 cups filtered water (or more stock)
• 2 cups already cooked quinoa*
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• fresh cilantro for garnish
• sliced avocado for garnish

Recipe: Preheat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, bell pepper and jalapeño with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and sauté until soft and the onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Turn the heat to low (to prevent burning the spices) and add the garlic, cumin and chili powder; cook 2 minutes until the spices are fragrant. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the tomatoes with their juices to deglaze the pan, using your wooden spoon to scrape up everything on the bottom of the pan. Add the drained and rinsed black beans, stock, water, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and quickly reduce to a simmer. Simmer at least 20 minutes to let the flavors combine. Adjust seasoning to taste if needed.

While your soup simmers, prepare the quinoa–it takes about 15 minutes. Need help? Learn how to cook quinoa here.

Add two cups of cooked quinoa to your soup, stir, and let simmer at least another 5 minutes to let it absorb some of the soup’s flavor. When you dish up, be sure to reach the bottom of the pot to scoop up all the good stuff. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a few slices of avocado.

Store leftovers in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator up to 5 days, or in the freezer up to 3 months. Enjoy!

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Recipe Notes:

• Pay attention to what’s in your spices and other ingredients, only use ingredients without fillers and preservatives. Especially your chili powder or taco seasoning, look for simple ingredients without any added sugar. I get my chili powder from the Savory Spice Shop and the only thing listed on the ingredients is chilis.
• *Quinoa keeps in the refrigerator up to 5 days, so make extra for meals and salads later in the week. 1 cup of dry quinoa yield about 3 cups cooked.

 

Cheers!