{chicken tomatillo soup}

Today is Winter Solstice. AKA shortest day of the year. Who’s got time for a short day the week of Christmas?!?! Poor planning! I got shit to do.

I set out all my gym clothes last night like it was the first day of BRIK. Really it’s because I haven’t been to the gym in over a week. FML! Think I was a little nervous?!? That’s normally the only time I set my clothes out the night before.

Guess what happened? I slept through 2 alarms and woke up at 7:15 am this morning vs. my normal 4:35 am. Bay wasn’t even awake. The house was silent. I jumped up and ran around the house like a crazy lady.

Thank god the Elf was moved, the advent calendar was ready and I packed lunches last night. Still 2 hours and 40 minutes of over sleeping is un-fucking acceptable.

My dream was so crazy though. I woke up treading water?!?!? We were going down rapids in some river in the middle of nowhere and all we had were pool noodles. So random. Ha! I’m pretty sure that represents something super significant, but on the shortest day of the year – I don’t even have time to google it and find out.

Instead of having the largest meltdown of 2016, I laughed. Hard! Fuck it! Not like I was going to be on time anyway (that’s another story). All the sleep I got could have contributed to the good ass mood I’m in today too.

So it is going to literally be the shorts day of my life. So much shit to do!

After all that here’s today’s post…..

My homegirl Lisa at Lunchpails and Lipstick posted this recipe back in August. I saved it knowing I’d bust it out as soon as winter hit.

Nordstrom Cafe makes it. Pretty sure it’s not even close to a “lite” recipe though. I was pumped to see the ingredients to this were so simple and lite.

This soup was made in about 30 minutes from start to finish with the help of TJ’s!!

It’s healthy. It’s filling. It’s easy. It’s Kaia friendly. What more can you want on the shorts day of the year the week of Christmas?

This will also be coming back once I begin my 20-day no sugar diet.

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 cups chicken, shredded (or buy the “just chicken” at TJ’s like I did)
TJ’s Mirepoix Mix (carrot, celery, onion chopped)
2 cartons chicken broth
2 cups TJ’s tomatillo salsa (you’ll need a little less than two jars)
25 oz can hominy
1 tablespoon olive oil (seka hills preferably)

Optional toppings:

Avocado
Cilantro
Lime
Shredded cheese
Sourcream

Here’s what you do:

Add olive oil to your soup pot and saute mirepoix for 3 minutes. Olive oil isn’t necessary, but I dig it.

Next, add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium and allow the veggies to cook. About 10 minutes.

Add chicken, hominy (drained) and let simmer for 20 minutes.

Right before you serve, stir in the tomatillo salsa.

Garnish with all the toppings you desire.

Bailey made this soup…with a tiny bit of help from her sous chef.

*notice the hominy isn’t pictured above? In the recipe Lisa writes “1 large can hominy.” You guys, I bought the LARGE can of hominy. 110 oz large. Haha! Hominy for dayyyyssss!

ps…can we take a minute to look at the sweetest reindeer ever. Or the fact that she looks like a teenager!!

This reindeer made my bed, coffee and loaded up the car this morning. Pretty sure she could sense I was tip-toeing on the verge of a meltdown.

The girls made it to school in time and I rewarded myself with a Starbucks (coffee #2).