SOUPER easy Tomato Salsa Soup

Tomato Salsa Soup

This is the fastest soup on the planet! Here is a recipe for something that I attribute to some of my personal weight loss success in the past year. I like to have this as an afternoon snack, or with my lunch to boost my "full" feeling and satisfy my love for something hot at lunchtime. If you have a microwave or a thermos, this is highly portable too! You can even bring the ingredients in separately and throw them together in a coffee cup to zap in the staff room microwave. I admit, I use a salsa not available here, it is I love Trader Joe's Double Roasted Salsa and my folks bring me a stock of it whenever they visit from the states. But you can use any salsa product you like (just check the label and substitute one about 5 calories a Tablespoon to match the nutrition info here).

Ingredients

• 1 Cup V-8 juice (low sodium)
• 1 Tbsp Salsa (any kind you like, any heat)
• 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese (optional*)
• 5 Large Croutons (optional*)

Method

1. Pour the Juice into a microwavable cup or mug. (Or use a pot on the stove if you prefer)
2. Stir in salsa.
3. Heat on high for about 1-2 minutes (or until heated through).
4. Top with croutons and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

TIP: For a creamier soup, add the parmesan cheese with the salsa in step 2 and stir through the soup after heating.

Nutritional Values

Per Serving: Calories 107 Carbs 16 g Fat 2 g Protein 5 g

*Leave out the croutons to save 30 calories. Drop the cheese too, for a super low-cal option!

Per Serving: (no cheese or croutons) Calories 55 Carbs 11 g Fat 0 g Protein 1 g

Variations

Once you discover how easy it is, have fun substituting other favourite flavourings for the add ins. Try the basic V-8 juice and salsa with:

• a splash of balsamic vinegar (this is my dad's favourite)
• a sprinkle of your favourite spice (Creole spice or curry blend)
• garnish with a swirl of plain yogurt

What if you make your own version and want to find out the nutritional values? I have discovered a great resource on the internet. Sign up for MyFitnessPal is FREE and the food database is huge. Among other things, you can add your own recipes and it will tell you the nutritional content. Check it out: http://www.myfitnesspal.com

Until next time... happy sipping!

We'll talk soon!