Extreme Diet Soup

From Women's World magazine Feb 2009. Although this is listed as a Diet soup, it is really delicious and I would eat it any time!

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 7
• Yields: 7

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra virgin
• 2  onions, large white chopped or sliced
• 1 1⁄2 lbs chicken, boneless skinless diced
• 1  carrot, large finely chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, large minced
• 1  jalapeno pepper, minced with seeds
• 2  teaspoons thyme or 2  teaspoons oregano, finely minced
• 8  cups chicken broth, fat-free
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
• 6  cups  baby spinach leaves, packed
• 1  tomatoes, large finely diced
•  salt, to taste
•  pepper, to taste
• 7  tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
•  lemon wedge (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large stockpot over med. heat. Add onions and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes (or until chicken is cooked through and onions are lightly browned), stirring occasionally.
3. Add carrot, garlic, jalapeno and thyme or oregano. Cook another 2 minutes.
4. Stir in broth and increase heat to high. Bring to a boil. Add beans, spinach and tomato. Bring back to a boil.
5. Turn off the heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Sprinkle each serving with 1 T parmesan cheese. If desired add a squirt of lemon.
7. NOTES: To finely chop carrot, I coursely chop, put in a blender, add water to cover, then blend until carrots are desired consistency. Then drain and use in recipe. If you want to keep some of the nutrients, measure the water, and then subtract that amount of liquid from the broth. I also added the spinach when I add the carrot, garlic & jalapeno so it gets cooked more.