Healthy chicken tortilla soup, more affordable fashion ideas, and smiles in the trees

Goodwill San Antonio finds on over 50 feeling 40

Happy Reality Check Monday on this fall day in 2020. I have for you a healthy chicken tortilla soup recipe, more affordable fashion ideas, and, yes, my trees smiled at me!!

So, let’s start there…with the trees and why I needed hope!

WHERE DID AUTUMN GO?

San Antonio Fall 2020 on Over 50 Feeling 40

In recent days, my reality includes a heat wave.  It has been almost 30 years since San Antonio saw heat in the high 90s in October! We have also gone 20 days without rain.

So, when I walked into the heat a couple of days ago, my eye caught this glimmer of hope in my trees.  Usually, I do not see the vibrant colors until November.

So remember…there is always hope lurking around the corner!

YUM…TORTILLA SOUP!

Chicken Tortilla Soup on Over 50 Feeling 40

Chicken Tortilla Soup is so perfect for this time of year and keeps us healthy and strong!!  Long time readers may remember me saying, the stock is EVERYTHING! 

I begin the night before, with a whole chicken in a crock pot.  Covered with water, one chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped celery, 3 minced garlic cloves, and 3 springs of rosemary from my garden.  I also put in a teaspoon of salt. 

Let it slow cook over night. By cooking a whole chicken, I will have meat for the soup and for another meal…sometimes I freeze the extra.

Pamela Lutrell's healthy tortilla soup

 

Take out the chicken, remove the bones, and shred the meat.  Check the stock for bones and remove the empty rosemary sprigs.  

Then in a soup pot on the stove cook in a ladle of the stock, another chopped onion, 1/2 cup of celery, 2 cans of chopped tomatoes with green chiles, cup of shredded carrots, cup of broccoli flowerets, 1/2 cup green peas, one drained can of unsalted black beans and pinto beans.

Cook until all veggies are soft. (sometimes I add corn)  While you wait, stir into the stock one pack of your favorite Taco seasonings…I use either HEB or Pioneer or Fiesta!

Then pour your stock into the soup pot, add the shredded chicken, bring to a boil and cook for about an hour.  

I serve it over these Quinoa and Flaxseed Tortilla Chips from HEB Central Market!  Mr. B prefers a yellow corn chip, but understand why I go with the healthier version!  

Of course you can also garnish with shredded cheese…or sour cream and avocado. But just the soup is soooooo good!

Remember, the key is the homemade stock…you can use a box of stock, but it will not have the flavor of your own.

 

AFFORDABLE FASHION IDEAS

DSW Sale Flats on Over 50 Feeling 40

I recently hit a sale at DSW Shoes that was amazing and walked away with two pair for $19.  Keep an eye on their sales! 

 

The green sweater is a recent find from Goodwill San Antonio.  Love my treasure hunts there…always safe with a mask and hand sanitizer and social distancing.  But this little sweater was $3.99!

It helps me with my goal to add items to my wardrobe which are different lengths from what I have been wearing in the past.

My links below are for what I deem some of the most affordable brands right now…though just about everyone is having great sales!  Check out the links to see what you find and watch those sales for real bargains like my shoes!!

KEEP SMILING!

Zappos

Kohls

EBAY

DSW

Target

Walmart

NORDSTROM RACK

ETSY

JUST A NOTE:

Taking Juice Plus+ for seven years on Over 50 Feeling 40

There are several ways that I generate income through this blog in order to cover business expenses and give myself much needed income.  Purchases through the slideshow links is one way, ads on the page is one way and a new way is through ordering or re-ordering Juice Plus+ whole food capsules.  Please read my story and information HERE.

 

 

GOLI on over 50 Feeling 40

For everyone who agrees with me that Apple Cider Vinegar is great for the metabolism and other health benefits, then order your GOLI today.  Just go to my page at GOLI HERE.  

 

 
 
 
MY COMPLEXION LOVES CHAMONIX…KEEPING ME YOUTHFUL!  Currently, running a FALL SPECIAL, BUY TWO, GET TWO FREE!

Disclaimer:  I am provided gift cards from Goodwill to blog about my finds!

 

25 Comments

  1. The green sweater,although it looks teal to me,is a very good color on you. What a deal! You should wear more of it. My best deal so far is 35 packs of gel heel protectors(on Ebay), MY left foot is smaller at the heel and shoes slip when I walk. But the gel paks at the grocery store are almost 7.00 for a pack, so I looked on ebay and voila! Although my sale items are usually pretty good. I always bookmark what I like and wait for a sale to score the item.. But i am still in purge mode. Haven’t quite finished the shoes yet!
    lol We have hot and then cool weather right now depending on what the hurricanes are doing. But really cool has not come and stayed yet, but it will soon, I hope!.

  2. The soup sounds delicious and I’m going to make it. Thank you for providing the tip for how you make your stock. I really don’t care for boxed or canned stock, and your method sounds easy and much healthier! I’m so glad you got the glimpse of fall in the trees. It would be very difficult to be enduring those temperatures so late into the year. Fall colors are beautiful and I’m glad you’re seeing them. Hoping cooler temperatures follow!

  3. Thanks Susan. I think I would say I am in refining mode…looking to refine my new life-style in this new phase of life for me and after a major purge…I now purge and refine as I make new decisions.
    Thanks for sharing!

  4. The stock is everything! I believe that with soup, Chicken Pie, Thanksgiving dressing and gravy…my slow cooker is my key to stock success! Thanks Karen!

  5. I love the shorter length of this sweater–and others–on you. They are more flattering, and the length is less frumpy and more chic. Could this be part of the new you???!!

  6. Yes Susan…it is a part of the new me. But, I disagree that longer lengths are frumpy. Often they can be very stylish…so I have not purged them. I am however listening and adding shorter lengths with my new style. I may eventually leave all longer lengths…but not there yet. Frumpy is defined differently for all of us. It is styles that I believe age us and show that we do not care about our looks. I also think frumpy clothes are not confident and communicate that we don’t care. Some of my longer lengths say the opposite.
    Thanks for approaching the conversation. I do agree that the shorter lengths are flattering!! Thanks!

  7. You look wonderful in that sweater! As if you’re doing a reveal after a huge diet! Thin shorter sweaters seem so flattering on everyone.
    I have a problem with your picks for lower priced clothing…there aren’t any petites in the stores, and online Walmart is selling what look to be the remainders from other retailers. The 2 Kohls we have have tiny petite departments that usually don’t carry size XS or 0. Heck, they don’t have size 2! Some of the brands don’t even make the smallest sizes! And the quality is poor, so sweater only last for a season before they get pilly. I shop consignment and thrift stores and splurge on sales from Talbots and Ann Taylor. Occasionally I’ll drive an hour to go to a Talbots clearance store (clothes from both their main stores and their outlet stores.) I’ve had success on ebay and Poshmark too but have learned to only buy the brands that I know use high quality fabrics. I live in an affluent area so the consignment shops are filled to overflowing with better quality items. I’m retired, and live alone, (only one pension and Social Security check) so I’m happy to spend $5-15 on a high quality item I’ll have for years. I have sweater sets from Ann Taylor from 20 years ago. ( Now worn separately, but soon they’ll be back together as styles change.) Pant styles are harder to keep current, but I’ve straightened out pant legs easily -just say no to a tailor! It does take more time to shop like this but the results are worth it.
    Here we don’t have Dillards or Bealls, just Macys and Nordstom and a very sad JC Penney( also no really small sizes)
    Quick question – what is HEB Central? Is it just a local place? Also, do you skim all the fat from your stock?

  8. You are always so fair in aproaching all price points and adding my fav. shopping spots like thrift stores. I agree also that longer tops can be quite elegant (unless worn with slippers..ha) and actually added a couple to the rotation. All in the style and fabric as well as the styling. I would be happy to send you a bit of our very chilly weather to even it out for you. I do like a tortilla soup so must try that.

  9. I will look around for affordable petite options…I see that Kohl’s has them online. I am a huge fan of consignment shopping! I do skim so of the fat…but not all.

  10. I have made your chicken tortilla soup and it is amazing! My family loves it. I have also taken it to sick friends and gotten raves. It makes plenty to share with another family. I can’t wait for the Texas heat to leave so I can make it. Thanks for sharing.

  11. Thanks Nancy…it is so good to take it to others and glad you have done that. My husband always accuses me of cooking for an army…but there are so many ways to share. One of our sons works nearby, so sometimes we invite him over for lunch during the workweek. I am with you…so done with this Texas weather right now. We had such a lovely taste of fall and then summer came slamming back. Hopefully at the end of this week, things change.

  12. Kudos to you for finding such a great bargain and do love its color and style on you. Re the recipe for your Tortilla Soup as it does sound delish did print it off however wish to mention that when doing so, part of it is hidden by your ‘with confident style’ pop-up pic. (Hope that makes sense.) Appreciating all that you do share. -Brenda-

  13. I agree that long sweaters can be very flattering, even on my shorter frame. I have many
    in duster length. I make sure to wear a modern or classic shoe and cut of pants, and do not match my tones/colors exactly (I was taught to do so, but the younger people mix it up a bit more, and I find I like that). Pam, do you by chance have a link to Zappos?

  14. I believe I do, Linda. Give me 5 minutes and I will add it to the links in this post! Thank you so much for asking!!

  15. I love that sweater. I wear a lot of cardigans in cooler weather. The soup sounds tasty. I will have to try the chicken in the Crockpot, not just for the stock but for making various chicken dishes. Thanks for sharing.

  16. Your chicken tortilla soup recipe looks yummy. We just celebrated Thanksgiving up here in Canada so I have a carcass ready to make broth and lots of turkey for the soup. Does the finished soup freeze or do you just freeze the stock? It will be a nice change from my usual traditional turkey soup.

  17. That soup sounds delicious, it may well be supper next week! And I love the shorter length on you-somehow, against all the rules it makes you look taller-it is the column effect under it, I believe. your legs look longer! Thumbs up, wish we had a nice Goodwill here-although I have bought a couple of basic sweaters at mine!

Comments are closed.