Back in the Saddle Again | Low Fat Mexican Vegetable Soup

Back in the saddle. As in back into my fat pants. It all started with the trip to Mexico, when it seemed perfectly reasonable to order mudslides for breakfast, because calories don't count in a foreign country, especially not Mexico. Then it was Halloween candy, Thanksgiving, Holiday Parties (read cookie swaps and egg nog martini's), then Christmas itself, and then to top it off New Years. I've put on the obligatory you know, 8 pounds of pure adipose tissue. So, I joined weight watchers again, it worked the last time I needed to lose weight, let's hope it doesn't fail me now. 

Not to mention that I turn the big 35 in a couple months - one of my good friends Julie also turns 35 a few weeks after me. We've begun what we are calling the 35 IS THE NEW 25 challenge - the challenge is to look as good at 35 as we did when we were 25 - its cardio, eating well, weights, etc. No all clean living though, Lord knows there's no way on this green earth that I'd give up wine for anything, but I am making sure that I "plan" my diet for the days that I want to have wine, which is pretty much Wednesday through Saturday, (I hit the treadmill a little harder those days) and I also start training for my May 1st half marathon next month, so that should help. I hope. 

Ok. So this soup has one points plus value, I get 29 points a day, so the days that I make this one of my meals makes it easy to get a couple glasses of wine into my diet and daily points allowance usage.

There are three versions of this soup, Italian, Mexican and Asian, I have made the Italian and Mexican, both great, but very different from each other. This is the Mexican version - very good, very hot - if you like it hot and spicy, make this, but serve it with beer, the only wine that would work with this in the least bit would be a sweeter Riesling to help cut through the heat - but seriously, just drink a Dos Equis. 

Mexican Vegetable Soup | 1 Points Plus Value

2 cup(s) green snap beans, fresh, cut into bit-size pieces    3 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced (medium)    2 small zucchini, cubed    14 oz canned diced tomatoes, Mexican-style preferred    1 medium spanish onion, chopped     1 medium green pepper(s), chopped     1 cup(s) chopped tomatillos     1 medium jalapeno 1/2 medium poblano chile, finely chopped    1 tsp fresh oregano    1/2 tsp Durkee Ground Cumin Seed, or other brand    6 cup(s) vegetable broth    1/2 cup(s) roasted red peppers, water-packed (about 2 peppers)    1 Tbsp canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce    1/2 cup(s) cilantro, fresh, chopped    2 Tbsp fresh lime juice    3/4 tsp table salt    Instructions  Place green beans, garlic, zucchini, tomatoes, onion, green pepper,  tomatillos, jalapeno, poblano, oregano, cumin and broth into a large soup  pot. Puree roasted peppers with chipotle in adobo sauce in a blender or  food processor; stir into soup. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat;  reduce heat to low, and simmer, partly covered, for about 10 minutes.  Stir in cilantro, lime juice and salt. Serve. Yields about 1 cup per serving.