Broccoli Soup

This soup recently became a favorite at our house. It's easy, quick and has way fewer calories than it's creamy counterparts. Oh, and it's delicious!

*4 cups chicken broth *1/4 cup dehydrated carrots (or 1/2 cup finely chopped carrots) *1 Tbsp dehydrated minced onion (or 2 Tbsp finely diced onion) *10 oz. bag frozen broccoli florets, chopped *3 Tbsp. cornstarch *1 cup milk *1/2 cheese** *1/4 tsp. ground thyme *salt and pepper, to taste *1/2 lb cooked shredded chicken, lightly seasoned 1. In large sauce pan, bring broth to boil. Add carrots and onion. Simmer until tender. 2. Add broccoli. 3. Add thyme, salt and pepper. 4. Combine cornstarch with small amount of water. Stir into soup. Reduce heat. 5. Stir in milk and cheese. 6. Add chicken. Notes: ** You can add more cheese for a stronger flavor. -If soup is too thin, add a little more cornstarch. Serving Suggestion: Serve with crusty french bread.

Enchilada Soup

I was first introduced to Enchilada Soup when I went to lunch one day at Chili's with my grandma.  It was so delicious!  I figured it probably wasn't low-calorie, but I slurped up two or three bowls of it.  Some time later I came across the calorie content of said soup and was disgusted.  I'll never order it again.  But it was soooo good!  That is where my quest for healthy enchilada soup recipe began.  It was a long quest.  I tried several recipes.  Some were okay and some were gross.  Finally, I found a recipe for homemade enchilada sauce that turned out to be pretty good.  I put my tweaking skills to work and viola!, a healthy and delicious enchilada soup.

Ingredients:
*2-8oz cans tomato sauce
*2 cups water
*1 tsp. chili powder
*1 tsp. cumin
*1 tsp. salt
*1/2 tsp. garlic powder
*1/2 tsp. oregano
*3 Tbsp. cornstarch
*1 cup almond milk (or regular milk)
* 1 chicken breast, cooked, cubed and seasoned (optional)
*1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
*cheese for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1.  In sauce pan, combine tomato sauce, water,chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic powder, and oregano.  Bring to slight boil. 

2.  Reduce heat.

3.  Add a little water to cornstarch to make a paste.

4.  Very slowly, whisk cornstarch into soup.

5.  Add almond milk.

6.  Add chicken and beans, if desired.

7.  Garnish with cheese before serving.

Serving Suggestion:
-Goes great with quesadillas.  

Turkeyburger Soup

Ingredients:
*3 cups water
*1 Tbsp. chicken seasoning
*2 cups potatoes, diced
*2 cups mixed veggies
*2 Tbsp. dried minced onion
*1/2 lb. ground turkey, cooked and seasoned (I use 97% fat free)
*1 can (or 1 pint) tomatoes
*1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
*salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. In large sauce pan, combine water, chicken seasoning, potatoes, mixed veggies, and dried onion.

2. Bring to boil. Simmer until potatoes and veggies are tender.

3. Add turkey and tomatoes. Bring to boil.

4. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper to taste

Serving Suggestion: Serve with fresh rolls or french bread.

Hearty Chicken Soup

My kids will actually eat this soup, vegetables and all. I'm sure it's because the veggies are pretty much pulverized and even though the kids know they're eating them, the fact that the healthy stuff isn't really recognizable makes all the difference.
Ingredients:
*1/2 small-medium onion
*handfull of baby carrots (or about 3 regular)
*3 stalks celery
*1/2 red bell pepper
*3 cloves garlic
*6 cups water
*1-2 chicken breasts, cooked, cubed and seasoned
*1 cup frozen corn
*2/3 cup barley
*2 Tbsp. chicken bouillon
*1 tsp. salt
*1/4 tsp. basil
*1/4 tsp. sage
*1/4 tsp. thyme
*1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions:
1. Shred or grate the onion, carrots, celery, red pepper and garlic. (I use my food processor.)

2. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.

3. Cook on high for 3-4 hours (3 hours is plenty in my cooker) or until veggies are tender and barley is done.

Goes great with french bread.

Notes:
-This can also be done on the stove top. This version would be much faster but requires more vigilance. (Don't let it sit there and cook for 3 hours.)
-Add more water as needed.

Tomato Soup

Ingredients:
*1 medium butternut squash
*1/2 small onion
*4-6 cloves garlic, minced
*2 quarts (or 2-28oz cans) tomatoes, do NOT drain
*4 tsp. Italian seasoning
*1 Tbsp. sugar
*2 tsp. salt
*2 tsp. basil

Directions:
1.  Cut squash in half.  Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until really tender.  Scoop out pulp and discard skin.

2.  In sauce pan, cook onion and garlic with 1/2 cup water until tender.  (Add more water in small amounts as needed.  This way, there is no need for oil, which just adds unnecessary calories to a perfectly nutritious soup.)

3.  In food processor, combine onion and garlic, squash, tomatoes and Italian seasoning.  Puree til smooth.

4.  Return puree to sauce pan.  Reheat.  Add salt, sugar and basil.

5. Thin with water, milk or broth if needed.

Chili

It is with some reluctance that I post this recipe. I am not a connoisseur of chili. In fact, it's only been the past couple of years that I decided I even like chili. At all. Yet still, I am very picky.

I love this recipe, it's right in sync with my tastes, but it may not be the one for anyone else. This recipe is not spicy. It does not have muck "kick" at all. There is nothing fancy about it. No onions or peppers. And I use extra lean ground chicken or turkey, not beef. Although, beef could certainly be substituted.

On the other hand, this is a pretty darn healthy chili recipe, super low fat and low calorie, as far as chili goes. This chili goes well on baked potatoes. Makes some pretty good chili cheese fries (homemade baked fries). It was delicious on top of Foccacia bread.

Ingredients:
*1/2 lb extra lean ground chicken or turkey, cooked and seasoned to taste
*1 pint tomatoes, undrained
*1 can white beans, drained
*1 can black beans, drained
*1-8oz can tomato sauce
*2 tsp. chili powder
*1/4 tsp. cumin
*1 tsp. brown sugar
*basil, to taste

Directions:
1.  Combine all ingredients in pot.

2.  Bring to boil.

3.  Boil off liquid until chili begins to thicken.

Tuscan Soup

*4 cups chicken broth
*1 large chicken breast, diced, cooked and seasoned
*1 can Great Northern beans, drained
*1 can green beans (optional)
*1 can (or 1 pint) tomoates
*1 cup carrots, chopped
*1 small zucchini, sliced or chopped
*1 1/2 cups baby spinch (tear the leaves)
*2 Tbsp. minced onion
*1/2 tsp. garlic powder
*2 tsp. basil

-Combine all ingredients in pot except basil.

-Boil until veggies are tender.

-Add basil just before serving.

Cauliflower and Carrot Soup

*4 cups chicken broth
*1 large chicken breast, diced and seasoned
*2 carrots, chopped (approx. 1 cup)
*4 cups cauliflower
*1 tsp. salt
*1/4 tsp. garlic powder
*1 Tbsp. fat free sour cream
*2 Tbsp. flour

-Cook chicken.

-In pot, combine all ingredients except four and sour cream.

-Bring to boil. Cook til veggies are tender.

-In small bowl, combine flour and sour cream, add just enough water til mixture is smooth but still fairly thick.

-Stir into soup.

-Boil 2 minutes.

White Chili

*1 lb chicken breast, cubed
*2 cups water
*1 Tbsp chicken bouillon
*1 can white beans
*1 can chick peas (garbanzo beans)
*1 white corn or about 1 cup frozen yellow corn
*1 can mild green chilies (optional)
*1 pkg. Italian dressing mix (optional)
*salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin to taste

Place chicken, Italian dressing, water, and bouillon in slow cooker, cook until chicken is done. Add all other ingredients. Cook on low 2-3 hours.

From the Critics
Brittany: 1

Brooklyn: 1

Damon: 1

Orange Soup

Jodie served this soup once when we went to their house for dinner. It was so yummy, I had to get the recipe. The original name of soup is Cheesy Potato Chowder (or something along those lines). I changed the name to "Orange Soup", and this is why: Brooklyn was probably about 3 at the time and she would not eat anything if the name of the food had any kind of vegetable in it. All the veggies in this soup are pureed so she couldn't actually see them in the original form, but if I told her the name of the soup, she wouldn't eat it. So I started calling it "Orange Soup" and she ate it right up.

The measurements are approximations; use more or less, depending on your tastes.

Ingredients:
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 2 cups carrots, chopped
* 3-4 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed
* 5 cups chicken broth
* parsley
* dill, to taste
* salt and pepper, to taste
* 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated (I actually use less than a cup.)

Directions:
1.  Cook veggies in chicken broth until very tender. Add parsley.

2.  Pour soup through strainer, saving broth.

3.  Put veggies in food processor and puree until smooth. Add broth as needed.

4.  Return soup to pot, adding additional broth until soup is desired consistency.

5.  Add salt and pepper and dill as desired.

6.  Gradually stir in cheese until smooth. Do not boil.

Serving Suggestion:  Serve with bread sticks or rolls. Also goes great with a chicken Caesar salad.

Recipe Source:  My friend, Jodie Pinsent

Pasta Chowder

*3 cups vegetables, fresh or frozen (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peas, etc.)
*2 cups chicken broth
*1/2 cup water
*1 - 12 oz can evaporated milk
*1 tbsp corn starch
*2 cups chicken breast, cooked,cubed and seasoned
* 1 1/2 cups pasta shells, uncooked

Cook and drain pasta. In a large saucepan, combine vegetables, broth and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender. In a small bowl, combine milk and cornstarch. Add to veggies; add chicken and pasta; salt and pepper to taste. Cook until thick and bubbly.

From the Critics
Brittany: 5

Brooklyn: 5

Damon: 10

Macaroni Tomato Soup

My mom used to make this when my siblings and I were little. It was a favorite of mine.

*1/2 - 1 lb. ground turkey, I use extra lean (or  you can use ground beef)
*2 - 2 1/2 cups macaroni, uncooked
*4-6 cups tomato juice
*parsley, to taste
*salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

Brown meat and cook macaroni. In large pot, combine all ingredients. If more liquid is needed, add water. Simmer until heated through.


Note: My measurements are just guesses, because I don't measure anything except the macaroni, so just do what looks/sounds good to you.

Pasta Soup

*1 3/4 cups macaroni
*3/4 cup dehydrated carrots

*1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

*3 1/2 Tbsp. minced onion

*3 1/3 Tbsp. chicken bouillon

*1 1/2 Tbsp. parsley

*1 3/4 tsp. oregano

*1/8 tsp. garlic powder

* 10 1/2 cups water

*1 large can canned chicken (optional)

In large pot, bring water to boil. Add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until veggies and pasta are tender.

Slow Cooker: Combine all ingredients in slow cooker EXCEPT macaroni and Parmesan cheese. Cook on low 5-6 hours. Add Parmesan cheese. Stir occasionally. Cook macaroni on stove top and add to soup just before serving.

From the Critics

Brittany: 10 - "Its yummy!"

Brooklyn: 10 - "I ate way too much! I have a big tummy ache."

Damon: 10 - "I like it so much."

Cheesey Potato Chowder

I spent one quarter at Snow College after high school. When I left, my mom gave me a book called "Where's Mom Now That I Need Her?" This was a great book and I used it a lot. It had lots of information on lots of different topics and it had a recipe section. I came across a recipe for Potato Soup and played with it, changed things I didn't like and added some that I did. This is the end product. The original recipe called for ham; you can use that if you wish. When I put meat in it, I use turkey, although its hardy enough without the protein.

* 2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
* 1/3 cup carrots, chopped
* 1 cup water
* 1 cup milk
* ½ tsp. salt
* 1/8 tsp. pepper
* ¼ tsp. paprika
* 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
* ½ cup turkey, diced (optional)
* 1/3 cup corn
* 1/3 cup peas
* 1 cup cheese, grated

In large sauce pan, bring water to boil, add carrots and boil until almost tender. Add potatoes and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and small amount of water into a paste. Add to soup. Add milk, other vegetables and turkey. Cook until thick. Stir in cheese. Serve with homemade bread or bread sticks and a garden salad. Makes approximately 4 servings.

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From the Critics

Brittany: 6 "I like the potatoes but not the broth."

Brooklyn: 1 "I hate the potatoes so bad."

Damon: 1 "I hate everything."