Spinach & Chick Pea Soup

Welcome to the last day of Soup Week where I've saved the best for last. Well, at least this one was our favorite (3 out of 4 approved!). Not only does this soup contain a mere 6 ingredients (all of which I have on hand at all times), it can be whipped up in 30 minutes or less.

Cheddar Jack Potato Leek Soup

Do you want to hear a funny story. Well I'm going to tell you one anyway. :) Being that this is soup week, I had all my posts ready to go for each day this week ahead of schedule. But yesterday, when I went to check on the post to make sure I didn't want to add anything to it, the post wasn't there! A BLOGGERS NIGHTMARE! Well at least it was for me because once I type it here on the blog from my scrap pieces of paper I carry around the house with me, I throw it out. Gone! Now some of you will say, "Why didn't you back up your computer?". And well I did as a matter of fact, two days ago before I added the recipe for Creamy Ham & Potato Soup using the ham bone. It was good too. I'll have to try to replicate that one again next time I make a ham (hopefully it won't be another 2 years!).  In any event, today instead of the ham and potato soup, I give you Cheddar Jack Potato Leek Soup. 

Organic Alphabet Soup

This Organic Alphabet Soup has got to be the EASIEST soup you can make. With only 3 ingredients and about a half hour of your time, you are well on your way to make a delicious, quick and filling lunch or dinner you and your family are going to love!

Vegetarian Black Bean Soup

Welcome to Day 2 of Soup Week! Today I'm going to share my version of Vegetarian Black Bean Soup. I started off thinking I could copy Panera's version, but I never tasted it myself. Hence, I can't replicate it at home exactly, so I came up with the next best thing. I've never made this kind of soup before as my family didn't particularly care for beans. But as my kids got older, and willing to try new things, I've been slowly incorporating them more into our diet. 

Minestrone Soup and a Giveaway

January is National Soup Month and it couldn't have come at a better time. Here in NJ, as is in most of the country, we've been experiencing extremely frigid temperatures. So what would be better than a nice, hot bowl of soup to warm your soul. This week, I'll be sharing a new soup recipe each day. And to start, here is one of my all time favorites, Minestrone.

Copycat Panera Broccoli & Cheese Soup

I have my own version of Broccoli & Cheese Soup in my cookbook, but so many people asked me about Panera Bread's version that I had to seek out their recipe and try it myself. I found this version made with half and half and it was very similar to my own recipe.

French Onion Soup {Cookbook Giveaway Week}

I hope you all enjoyed some of the recipes this week from Carrie's Experimental Kitchen: A Collection of Mediterranean Inspired Family Meals cookbook. The last recipe I'm going to share with you this week is French Onion Soup. This soup is the perfect treat for a cold, rainy day and being one of my early childhood favorites, it seemed fitting that this be the first soup I ever made. 

Carrot & Sage Soup

Do you eat in courses during your holiday meals? We certainly do! Mostly our day consists of the following courses: appetizers, soup or pasta, salad, main meal; then dessert and coffee. I say soup or pasta because we very rarely serve both; it's usually either one or the other. For Thanksgiving, I like to stick with something orange in color...you know, just to be festive.

Cream of Spinach & Artichoke Soup

This recipe was created recently after dining out with my kids one evening after having ordered Spinach Artichoke Dip as an appetizer. They just love it! I've made Spinach & Artichoke French Bread Pizza before so I thought I'd experiment with the same flavors in a soup since I had some leftover spinach from dinner the previous night. 

I really liked the flavor of this Spinach & Artichoke Soup, but the kids weren't fond of it. I even sent it into my hubby's work so that other's can try it as well, but he left  it in his car that day and it never made it inside the office. So you will have to be the judge and let me know what you think when you make it! 

Cream of Spinach & Artichoke Soup
Total Time: 45-50 minutes    Yield: 7 cups   Serving Size: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1-10oz. Frozen Chopped Spinach, defrosted and drained
• 1/4 c. Red Onion, chopped
• 1 Garlic Clove, chopped
• 1 tbsp. Butter
• 4 Artichoke Hearts, chopped
• 4 c. Vegetable Broth
• 2 c. Water
• 1 c. Milk, heated (I used 2%)
• 1/2 c. Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
• 3 tbsp. Cornstarch + 3 tbsp. Cold Water, if needed

Directions

1. Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat then add the onion and garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes; then add in the spinach and artichokes. 
2. Add the vegetable broth and water. Mix well and bring to a boil. 
3. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 30 minutes; then mix in the milk and cheese. 
4. Use your immersion blender* to blend all of the ingredients together until the mixture is smooth. 
5. If the soup isn't thick enough for your liking, mix together the cornstarch and cold water; then add it to the mixture and simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Calories 127, Carbs 7.2g, Fat 7.2g, Protein 5.5g, Fiber 1.3g, Sugar 3.6g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Cream of Spinach & Artichoke Soup Shopping List

*If you do not have an immersion blender, simply pour the mixture into a regular blender and puree until smooth. Just be very careful not to fill it too much to the top as it will be extremely hot and you don't want to pop the lid off of your blender.

Turkey Orzo Soup

I love that the cooler weather is approaching. It means more soup like this Turkey Orzo Soup. I will purposely buy a whole turkey or just the breast and roast it on a Sunday afternoon, knowing that I will almost always have leftovers. The recipe below calls for chicken or vegetable broth; however, I've also used homemade turkey stock made from boiling the carcass with some onions, celery and carrots after all the meat has been carved from the bone. This soup is simple to make and really warms you from the inside out on a cool day.


Turkey Orzo Soup
Prep Time: 10 minutes          Yield: 7 cups
Cook Time: 25 minutes         Serving: 1 cup
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 c. Carrots, small dice
• 1/4 c. Red Onion, small dice
• 2 Stalks Celery, small dice
• 1 tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1 c. Turkey, cooked and chopped
• 4 c. Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• 2 c. Water
• 1/2 c. Orzo

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over low heat; then add in the carrots, onion and celery. Allow the vegetables to sweat and soften for approximately 3-5 minutes. 
2. Add the parsley, turkey, broth, water and orzo. Mix well. 
3. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through. 

Enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories 91, Carbs 8.4g, Fat 3.2g, Protein 7.2g, Fiber 1.1g, Sugar 1.5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Turkey Orzo Soup Shopping List

Vegetarian Roasted Tomato, Spinach and Chick Pea Soup

Whether it's Winter or Summer, there is nothing like a nice bowl of hot soup on a rainy day! I started off making this Vegetarian Roasted Tomato, Spinach and Chick Pea Soup for lunch one afternoon. It looked fantastic with the chunks of roasted tomatoes, fresh wilted spinach and whole chick peas, but it tasted a little on the bland side. I didn't want to add salt or cheese, so I pureed all of the ingredients instead.

It's amazing how just pureeing something can give it an entirely new flavor. Everything blended nicely together and this recipe turned into a heart healthy, creamy soup I could put in a cup and drink instead; which is a HUGE time saver when I'm trying to do other things at the same time!

Vegetarian Roasted Tomato, Spinach
and Chick Pea Soup

Prep Time:   15 minutes                        Yield: 5

Cook Time:  20 minutes                        Serving: 1 c. 

Total Time:  35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Beefsteak or Heirloom Tomato, chopped
• 2 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 c. Red Onion, chopped
• 1 Garlic Clove, chopped
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
• 1-150z. Can Chick Peas, rinsed and drained
• 2 c. Fresh Baby Spinach, rinsed, stems removed
• 2 c. Fat Free Vegetable Broth
• 1 c. Water
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
2. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes until they start to soften. 
3. Heat the oil  in a nonstick saute pan over medium heat; then add the onion and garlic. Saute 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to turn translucent. 
4. Add in the basil, spinach, chick peas and cooked tomatoes and saute for another 2-3 minutes. 
5. Stir in the broth and water, bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. 
6. If you like a "brothy" soup, leave whole. If you prefer it blended (like I did), use your immersion blender to blend all of the ingredients together until smooth; approximately 1-2 minutes. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 94, Carbs 14.3g, Fat 2.4g, Protein 4g, Fiber 2.9g, Sugar 1.8g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy!

Tortellini en Brodo

Did you ever hear the name of a recipe and think to yourself, "This sounds too complicated so I'm not even going to look at the ingredients!" 

This recipe for Tortellini en Brodo was that recipe for me when I was a new home cook living on my own. I don't know why it intimidated me, I was making far more difficult meals than this at the age of 18, but after realizing that 'en brodo' simply meant 'in broth' I finally looked at the recipe and LAUGHED!  It was so SIMPLE with only 2 ingredients. Now my kids love it when they just want something hot to sooth their throat when they have a cold. 

Tortellini en Brodo
1 lb. Frozen Three Cheese Tortellini
4 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
Parsley

Directions: 
1. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan; then add in the frozen tortellini. 
2. Allow to simmer until the tortellini is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley. Makes 4 cups. 

*Nutritional Information per Cup: Calories 179, Carbs 24g, Fat 4.5g, Protein 9.9g, Fiber 2g, Sugar 2.4g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy! 

Hearty Beef Noodle Soup

I never get tired of soup and like a variety. My husband loves it as well and asked me to make a Beef Noodle Soup a while ago, but I only tend to make this kind of soup if I have leftover beef from a roast or steak.  To me, it just seems to be a waste of time to go through the of trouble cooking the meat just to put it in the soup alone. 

For this particular soup, I used some leftover london broil. We don't do much outside grilling here in NJ between November-February as it's usually too cold or snowing. However, this year has been odd with warm days in the upper 50's followed by a snow storm or temperatures in the teens the next. So this soup came at the perfect time! 

If you have extra soup, don't worry! Here are some tips on how to store it. 
1. Allow the soup to cool completely before refrigerating or freezing. 
2. If you are going to be eating it within a few days: Divide the cooled soup into shallow, air tight containers; then cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. 
3. If you want to freeze the soup: Divide the cooled soup into shallow, air tight, freezer safe containers leaving a 1/2" space between the top of the soup and the rim of the container. This will allow room for the soup to expand while frozen without the lid coming off. You can freeze soup for up to 3 months. Also, do not freeze soup that has been thickened with cornstarch or flour. Leave it out and add it once defrosted and reheated. By freezing soup with thickener, it changes the consistency and thickening capacity causing it to look congealed. 

Hearty Beef Noodle Soup
1 c. Carrots, sliced
1/2 c. Red Onion, chopped
2 Celery Stalks, chopped
1 tbsp. Canola Oil
2 c. Cooked Beef, diced
4 c. Low Sodium Beef Broth
4 c. Water
3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
2 c. Egg Noodles, dry

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil and add in the carrots, onion and celery. 
2. Saute until the vegetables start to soften, then add in the beef, beef broth, water, and thyme. 
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for 45 minutes, then add in the egg noodles and simmer for another 15 minutes. Makes 6 cups. 

*Nutritional Information per Cup: Calories 167, Carbs 12.7g, Fat 6.6g, Protein 13.6g, Fiber 1.5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Baked Potato Soup (Low Fat)

In my continued quest to make some of my favorite recipes a little healthier, I decided to make this Low Fat Baked Potato Soup one evening for dinner.  Not only was it thick and creamy, but reducing the calories in soup is really easy if you learn to leave out the heavy cream or half and half and thicken with cornstarch instead. This soup was hearty and warmed us up from the inside out since it's been so cold here in northern NJ lately. You can also add whatever toppings you prefer like fat free sour cream or bacon, but I chose to add some cheddar cheese and scallions to mine. 


Baked Potato Soup (Low Fat)
6 Medium Russet Potatoes
1/4 c. Red Onions, small dice
3 Scallions
1 tbsp. Butter
1 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
1 c. Skim Milk
4 c. Vegetable Broth
1 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
3 tbsp. Cornstarch 
3 tbsp. Cold Water
1/2 c. Fat Free Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Directions:
1. Wash skins of potatoes, pierce skin by making 3-4 slits with a sharp knife; then place potatoes on a paper towel lined dish in the microwave. Microwave 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of your potatoes). They are done when you can insert the tip of a sharp knife into it with ease. 
2. Allow to cool slightly, then remove the skins. I hold them with a paper towel so I don't burn my hands. 
3. Dice the potatoes into 1/2" pieces and set aside. 
4. In a large pot add the butter, onions and scallions and saute until the onions start to soften. 
5. Add in the flour to form a roux; then gradually add in the vegetable broth. 
6. Heat the milk to temper it, then add it to the pot along with the cooked potatoes, pepper and salt. 
7. Allow the soup to simmer for 20 minutes, then combine the cornstarch and water; add it to the pot and mix well until soup has thickened. 
8. Pour soup into serving bowl and garnish with cheese. Makes 8 cups. 

*Nutritional Information per Cup: Calories 148, Carbs 27g, Fat 1.5g, Protein 6.6g, Fiber 1.8g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Not watching your weight? Substitute the following ingredients

*Heavy Cream or Half and Half for the Skim Milk

*Use 2 tbsp. butter and 2 tbsp. flour instead and omit the cornstarch and water

*Use regular cheddar cheese or any other type of cheese you and your family like. You can also add the cheese directly into the soup, which you can't do with fat free cheese as it sometimes will curdle. 

Shared on Thursday's Treasures Food Done Light 2/14/13

Cream of Turkey Soup (Reduced Fat)

Since this is the week before Thanksgiving, I've decided to share a new recipe each day to give you some more options for the biggest feast day of the year here in the US.

Today I'm starting with soup. Now technically, this would make the perfect soup to make using leftover turkey the day or so following the holiday, but it would also taste great as a starter as well. It's so easy to make and takes less than an hour to prepare. You can also make this up to 2 days ahead so it will safe you time the day of. I don't like to use a lot of heavy cream in my cooking, but if you prefer a richer tasting soup, by all means substitute heavy cream or half and half for the reduced fat milk. 

Cream of Turkey Soup (Reduced Fat)

1/4 c. Carrots, sliced

2 tbsp. Red Onions, chopped
1 Celery Stalk, chopped
1 tbsp. Butter
2 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
2 c. Turkey, diced
4 c. Fat Free Chicken Broth
2 c. Water
1 c. Milk (I used 2% but you can also use what you prefer)
Cornstarch + Cold Water, equal parts if needed to thicken
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a large pot and add in the carrots, onions and celery. 
2. Allow to soften approximately 3-5 minutes; then stir in the flour. 
3. Add the turkey, chicken broth and water; stir well. 
4. Bring to a boil, then allow to simmer for 30 minutes. 
5. Use your immersion blender* to blend all of the ingredients together until it is smooth. 
6. Heat the milk over medium heat, then add it to the soup. Allow to simmer for another 10 minutes.  
7. If the soup isn't thick enough, combine equal parts cornstarch and cold water; then add it to the mixture and simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 6 cups. 

*If you do not have an immersion blender, pour the mixture into a regular blender and puree until smooth. Just be very careful not to fill it too much to the top as it will be extremely hot and you don't want to pop the lid off of your blender.

*Nutritional Information per Cup(2% milk): Calories 41 , Carbs 3.7g, Fat 1.9g, Protein 1.7g, Fiber .4g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy! 

Thanksgiving Tip
Allow approximately 5 days to defrost a 20lb. frozen turkey in your refrigerator. If you don't have that much time, place the turkey (still in its wrapper) in a sink, cooler or I've even heard of someone putting it in their bathtub (CLEAN and disinfected first of course!). Cover the turkey with cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. It will take approximately 10 hours to defrost a 20 lb. frozen turkey. 




Shared at Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen 11/19/12

Italian Vegetable Beef Soup with Orzo

Did you ever make a roast for dinner on a Sunday afternoon and wind up with left over meat and vegetables? I do it all of the time. I guess it's the Italian in me that always wants to make sure I have enough food just in case! I also like to call this my "Everything but the kitchen sink" soup since I use up whatever I have laying around in the fridge. If you don't have leftovers, you can use frozen vegetables and go to your local deli counter for a thick slice of store made roast beef. It's so flavorful, hearty and comforting, especially on a cold, rainy day. 

Italian Vegetable Beef Soup with Orzo
1 c. Beef, cooked and diced (I used leftover Roast Beef)
1 c. Carrots, sliced
2 Stalks Celery, washed and chopped
1/4 c. Red Onion, diced
1/2 c. Cut Green Beans, cooked
1/2 c. Corn
1 tsp. Dried Oregano
1 tsp. Dried Parsley
1 tsp. Dried Basil
7 c. Low Sodium Beef Broth
2 c. Water
1/4 c. Orzo (rice shaped pasta)
Directions:
1. In a large pot add your beef, carrots, celery, onion, green beans, corn, oregano, parsley, basil, beef broth and water. 
2. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 45 minutes. 
3. Add in the orzo and let simmer for another 15 minutes or until the orzo is soft. Makes 8 cups. 

*Nutritional Information per Cup: Calories 87, Carbs 4.6g, Fat 2.4g, Protein 11.2g, Fiber 1.2g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy!