• 1 16-ounce package dried navy beans
• 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 28-ounce can tomatoes, drained
• 2 14 1/2-ounce cans fat-free chicken broth
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 2 4-ounce cans chopped green chilies
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 2 cups shredded reduced-fat Colby Jack cheese, divided
• 10 thin corn tortillas

Soak beans according to package directions. Drain and rinse beans. Heat oil in a 6-quart pot. Add onion, garlic and cumin and sauté until onion is softened but not browned. Add drained beans, drained tomatoes and broth. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Puree mixture with a hand blender, or puree in batches in a stand-up blender and return to pot. Stir in tomato sauce, chilies, cilantro, oregano and chicken. Simmer 15 minutes. When ready to serve, stir in 1 cup cheese until melted. Serve remaining 1 cup cheese and tortilla strips on the side as soup toppings.

To make tortilla strips, stack tortillas and cut in half. Cut each half-stack into thin strips. Spread strips on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, tossing frequently, for 15 minutes or until crispy and starting to lightly brown.

Adapted from The Calcium Key by Michael Zemel, Ph.D., and Bill Gottlieb
Reprinted with permission from Wiley Publishing