Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Step 2

Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, carrot and jalapeno and saute 4 minutes, add galic and saute 1 minute longer.

Step 3

Pour in broth, tomatoes, corn, chili powder, cumin and season lightly with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 4

Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Step 5

Add black beans and simmer 5 minutes longer. Stir in cilantro and lime juice.

Step 6

While soup is cooking brush sides of tortillas with the 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil. Then layer tortillas in stacks of 4 and cut each stack in half, then cut into small strips.

Step 7

Separate strips and spread onto a greased 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet, working to place them in a single layer, season lightly with salt.

Step 8

Bake in preheated oven 6 minutes, toss then spread back out and bake 4 - 7 minutes longer until crisp. Let cool.

Step 9

If serving all of the soup right away, stir half of the tortilla strips into soup (otherwise wait to stir strips in until reheating the soup).

Step 10

Serve soup with avocado slices, cheese if desired and more tortilla strips on top.

Step 11

Recipe source: Cooking Classy