Mexican Cabbage Soup

SERVES 6

GLUTEN-FREE · DAIRY-FREE · PALEO · WHOLE30 · GRAIN-FREE

Total time: 40 minutes

Do you remember when the “cabbage soup diet” was a trend? Basically, people ate cabbage soup for a week to cleanse and detox their bodies? Well, I am not saying I am onboard with that . . . because eating the same thing all week long is certainly not my cup of tea; however, I do like to have a simple cabbage soup for dinner or lunch a few times a week after an indulgent weekend or vacation. It’s light, yet satisfying, and it helps boost your metabolism. Plus, this one has an amazing concoction of Mexican-inspired spices that make it taste really wonderful.

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef, 90 percent lean
• ½ medium yellow onion, finely diced (1 cup)
• 1 large carrot, diced (¾ cup)
• ½ medium green bell pepper, diced (½ cup)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups low-sodium beef broth
• ½ large head green cabbage, cut in half and thinly sliced (4 cups)
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, onion, carrot, bell pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat with the back of the spoon, until the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. Drain off the excess fat.

Mix in the broth, cabbage, tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, serve, and enjoy!