It’s cold outside and soup sounds good

Soups are inexpensive and the ideal entrée to fill up your family and friends on a chilly day.

by Joanne Henning Tedesco — 

The weather has finally changed, and the colder days are calling for warm, hearty soups. Just add fresh breads, muffins or old-fashion biscuits, along with a crisp green salad, and you will have a healthy, satisfying meal.

Soups are inexpensive and the ideal entrée to fill up your family and friends on a chilly day. Homemade tastes the best and, if done right, is a healthy option. Made with lean beef or chicken, vegetables and seasonings, soup can be delicious and low fat. As an added benefit, there are no preservatives, and you control the sodium (which is very high in canned soups).

This is also a great opportunity to load up on vegetables — as many as your biggest soup pot will allow — which are great, saturated fat-free sources of fiber, antioxidants and, above all, flavor.

Savory Beet Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 medium beets, peeled and halved
• 1 medium potato, peeled and halved crosswise
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 8 teaspoons reduced-fat sour cream

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth, water, salt, pepper, beets, potato and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until beets and potato are tender. Discard bay leaf. Place one-third broth mixture in blender or food processor; process until smooth. Place puréed mixture in a large bowl. Repeat procedure twice with remaining broth mixture. Return puréed mixture to pan. Warm soup over low heat for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Combine 1/2 cup soup and the sour cream, stirring with a whisk. Divide soup evenly among each of 8 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream mixture; swirl sour cream mixture using the tip of a knife. Yield: 8 3/4 cup servings.

Mama’s Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 parsnip, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 celery ribs and leaves, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• • 3 skinned bone-in chicken breast halves (about 2-1/2 to 3 pounds)
• • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large pot. Add parsnip, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, and sauté about 5 minutes. Add broth and chicken, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes. Remove chicken from bone, and cut meat into bite-size pieces. Return chicken to pot, add lemon juice and heat through.

Herbed Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 cups water
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1-1/2 cups milk

Instructions:

Place potatoes and water in a large saucepan; cook over medium heat until tender. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, sauté onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt, thyme, rosemary and pepper. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add potatoes to cooking liquid; heat through.

Southwest Stew

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1-1/2 cups diced onion
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped, juice reserved
• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (16 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 cup picante sauce
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Salt, to taste
• Shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

In skillet, brown beef and onions. Drain any excess fat. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes. Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.

Source: www.myrecipes.com, www.allrecipes.com and Joanne’s recipe box.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 28, Number 6, Dec 2009/Jan 2010.