Super Easy and FAST Taco Soup

Fall is soup season in our house and this taco soup is the perfect meal for a blustery rainy Pacific Northwest Fall day - pair it with a football game and you've got a hit on your hands! One of the best things about this soup is that it is so easy and fast - oh and it freezes well too. (I plan on freezing a batch right before I have our 3rd baby.) Lydia cannot get enough of this soup - she ate 2 bowls for lunch today! Even Micah picked through it and eaten bits. Plus, you can make it as spicy or as mild as you like. We make it mild (for me and the kiddos) and then John adds some of his hot chipotle salsa (from Trader Joe's). I've adapted the original recipe to make a little lower in sodium.

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef, ground turkey, or shredded chicken (your choice!)
1 large onion, chopped finely
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 box of low sodium chicken broth or stock
3 (15.5oz) cans Mexican-style chili beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.25oz) can whole kernal corn, drained
1 (15oz) jar or can tomato sauce or salsa (your choice!)
1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes (I try and buy the kind that have seasoning like garlic or chiles - more flavor!) DO NOT DRAIN the tomatoes
1 (4.5oz) can of fire-roasted chopped green chiles
1 (1oz) packet/envelope Ranch-style dressing
1 (1.5oz) packet/envelope low-sodium taco seasoning mix
1 and 1/2 cups water

Toppings: (Pick and choose what you like!) tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, avocado slices, sour cream (or plain greek yogurt), shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes

1. Cook your ground meat over med-high heat until meat is browned and crumbled - drain and set aside

2. In the pot you will use to cook the soup, cook your diced onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over med-high heat until they are tender and translucent

3. Add to onion:

• the chicken broth, cooked meat, rinsed beans and all other remaining ingredients

4. Bring soup mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure all ingredients combine.

5. Serve soup into bowls and top with the desired toppings!