Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup

Serves 8

Preheat oven 375^o

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Estimated Values per Serving:

Calories: 200                        Fat:4 grams

Ingredients:

½ (8 ounces) pound ground turkey breast meat

½ (8 ounces) pound ground sirloin

½ cup Italian style bread crumbs

¼ cup egg substitute

1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning – separated

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

½ box (8 ounces) orzo pasta

10 cups low fat chicken broth

1 package (10 ounces) chopped frozen spinach

2 bay leaves

Directions:

1. To make the meatballs: Combine the ground turkey, ground sirloin, bread crumbs, egg substitute, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder and parmesan cheese and mix well with your hands.
2. Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray and set on the side.  Roll meat mixture into small balls (about ½ teaspoon in size) and place meatballs on broiler pan.



3. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
4. While the meatballs are baking, boil orzo pasta until al dente (about 5 minutes).  Drain and rinse and set aside.
5. In a large pot, combine chicken broth, frozen spinach, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, bay leaves and cooked orzo and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer.
6. Once meatballs are cooked, add them to the soup and serve hot with parmesan cheese on the side.

 

 

 

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Black Bean and Bacon Soup

It’s been too long since I have blogged a recipe and I am so sorry for that.  Hopefully, we wil be getting back to our routine and delicious new recipes will soon be on the way.  In the meantime, I made this last weekend and is worthy of a posting.  Enjoy!

Black Bean and Bacon Soup

Serves 6

Estimated Values per Serving:

Calories: 165                        Fat: 2 grams

Black Bean and Bacon Soup

Ingredients:

1 bag (16 ounces) dried black beans

6 cups water

8 slices of turkey bacon

½ cup celery – chopped

1 cup onion – chopped

2 cloves garlic – minced

½ cup carrots – chopped

4 cups ham broth*

2 – 3 cups water

2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

*You may substitute chicken broth for ham broth.

Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Rinse beans, place in a large bowl and soak overnight.  As a quick method, you can boil the water and pour over the beans and let sit for about 1 hour.  Drain and rinse beans and set aside.
2. Coat a large pot with cooking spray and heat on medium high.  Fry the bacon for 5 – 7 minutes until crispy.  Remove bacon and cool.
3. While bacon is cooling, add celery and onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until soft and slightly browned.  Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
4. Chop cooled bacon.  Add carrots, chopped bacon, broth, 2 cups water, beans, cilantro, bay leaf and liquid smoke.  Simmer for about 1 hour.
5. Taste soup and add pepper or more water if it has become to thick.
6. Serve hot with a little grated cheese or sour cream.

 

 

Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Cheddar Cheese

Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Cheddar Cheese

Serves 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 170                      Fat = 5 grams                        Points: 3

Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Cheddar Cheese

Ingredients:

2 large onions – chopped

1 large head cauliflower – trimmed and cut into small florets

1 clove garlic – minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 large potatoes – peeled and diced

7 cups chicken broth

1 cup fat free half and half

1 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese

Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat a large pot on low and coat with cooking spray.  Add onions and cook gently until soft and translucent.
2. Add cauliflower, garlic, thyme, potatoes and chicken broth.  Increase heat and bring to a boil.
3. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and cool slightly.  Working in batches, puree soup in a food processor or blender.  Transfer back to pot.
5. Add half and half and cheese and heat on low until cheese is melted and soup is hot.  Add pepper and serve.

Alaskan Crab Soup

As the weather gets cooler, the meals get cozier.  I made this for the family the other night and they loved it.  Even though it’s low in calories, it’s very filling.  It can be served for 4 people to make it a whole meal with a side vegetable or 8 side servings.

Enjoy!

Alaskan Crab Soup

Serves 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 165                      Fat = 1 gram                          Points: 3

Ingredients:

½ cup onion – minced

2 ribs celery – chopped

2 cloves garlic – minced

½ cup cream sherry

4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon dill

1 tablespoon double concentrate tomato paste

Bay leaf

1 ½ pounds Alaskan lump crab meat (i.e. snow crab, Dungeness, king crab)

4 cups fat free half and half

4 tablespoons flour

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Heat a large pot on medium heat and coat with cooking spray.  Add onion and celery and sauté for 5 minutes until slightly browned and softened.
2. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.  Add sherry and cook until liquid is absorbed.
3. Add chicken broth, dill, tomato paste, bay leaf and crab.  Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, stir together half and half and flour.  Pour into soup, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly.  Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve hot.

New England Clam Chowder

New England Clam Chowder

New England Clam Chowder

Serves 8

Prep time: 15minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 195                      Fat = 2 grams                        Points: 4

Ingredients:

Cooking Spray

4 slices turkey bacon

1 onion – chopped

2 celery ribs chopped

4 cans (6 ½ ounces) minced clams  – drained with liquid reserved

3 cups fat free half and half

2 cups clam broth (including the reserved clam liquid)

1 cup skim milk

¼ cup flour

3 potatoes – peeled and diced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. Heat sauce pot on medium high heat and add bacon.  Cook until bacon is crisp.  Remove from heat, cool and chop.
2. Add onion and celery to the pot and cook about 5 minutes until soft and tender.  Add bacon back to the pot.
3. Add half and half, clam broth and potatoes in the sauce pot.  Cook on medium heat until mixture begins to bubble.
4. I n a small mixing bowl, mix together skim milk and flour then add to sauce pot and stir.  Lower heat and continue to cook soup until potatoes are soft.
5. Remove from heat and cool.
6. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and serve.

Soup for dinner tonight…

It was one of those cold and rainy days, the perfect day for some hot soup for dinner.  I’ve been making this all winter since it’s one of my family’s favorites.  Enjoy & Happy cooking…

French Onion Soup

Prep and cook time: about 1 ½ hours

Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 large sweet white onions – thinly sliced

Cooking spray

¼ cup sherry

1 tablespoon brown sugar

6 cups reduced fat beef broth

1 tablespoon fresh thyme – minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)

6 slices French bread – toasted

6 slices reduced fat Swiss or provolone cheese

Directions:

1. Heat large saucepot on medium heat and spray with cooking spray.  Add onions, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Uncover pot and cook another 10 minutes until onions are browned, stirring frequently.  Note: If onions begin to stick to the bottom of the pot, add 1 tablespoon of water and stir.
3. Add sherry and sugar and cook until liquid is absorbed.
4. Add beef broth and thyme.  Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes.
5. To serve – scoop a serving of soup in a bowl.  Place a slice of bread then a slice of cheese on top so that it rests on the bread.  Broil in the oven for about 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.

Another soup night…

We visited my father-in-law today and promised to bring an onion soup since it’s one of our favorites. This soup is always a big hit with friends and family, is so easy to prepare and didn’t disappoint tonight.

Happy Cooking!!

French Onion Soup
Serves 6

Ingredients:
5 large sweet white onions – thinly sliced
Cooking spray
¼ cup sherry
1 tablespoon brown sugar
6 cups reduced fat beef broth
1 tablespoon fresh thyme – minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
6 slices French bread – toasted
6 slices reduced fat Swiss cheese (or provolone)

Directions:
1. Heat large saucepot on medium low heat and spray with cooking spray. Add onions, cover, and cook for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Increase heat to medium and cook another 15 minutes until onions are browned, stirring frequently.
3. Add sherry and sugar and cook until liquid is absorbed.
4. Add beef broth and thyme. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes.
5. To serve – scoop a serving of soup in a bowl. Place a slice of bread then a slice of cheese on top so that it rests on the bread. Broil in the oven for about 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.

Easy, Delicious & Light…

Today we returned from a great vacation. Of course, there was almost no food in the house and I had to find something to make for dinner. One of the staples I always keep around are bags of dried beans so I made Country Style Split Pea Soup. This is a hearty soup with a lot of flavor and only a little bit of fat coming only from the turkey bacon. It works great on a cold winter day and is really easy to prepare. You don’t even have to soak split peas before cooking with them which also makes it a little quicker to prepare than a traditional bean soup.

Here is the recipe…Enjoy!!

Country Style Split Pea Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 pound (1-16 ounce bag) split peas
4 slices turkey bacon – chopped
1 onion – chopped
2 cloves garlic – minced
¾ cup white wine
¼ cup whiskey
6 cups fat free chicken broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
Directions:
1. Heat large sauce pot on medium low heat and spray with cooking spray. Add turkey bacon and cook for 5 minutes or until browned.
2. Add onions and cook, covered, for 5 minutes or until soft.
3. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
4. Add wine and Jack Daniels and cook on medium heat until reduced by ½.
5. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil on high heat.
6. Add split peas, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, bay leaf and paprika, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
7. Add oregano and liquid smoke and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool soup to room temperature.