Ravioli Soup

This is a delicious, filling, super easy soup that takes no time to throw together.  It's full of healthy veggies, but also has hearty ravioli (tortellini works great too!) to fill your belly.  Use any type of ravioli you like.  The last time I made it I used one filled with asiago cheese and pesto.  Delicious!

Ravioli Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
26-28 oz chopped tomatoes
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
1 pkg (about 1 lb) fresh or frozen ravioli
2-3 cups fresh baby spinach (about 2 large handfuls)
Freshly grated parmesan

Directions:
1.  Combine all ingredients except ravioli, spinach and parmesan into a large pot*.  Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add in the ravioli and spinach and cook for an additional 10 minutes, uncovered, until the ravioli is warmed through.  Serve and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!

*If you prefer your veggies softer, sauté them in a tablespoon of olive oil for 5-10 minutes before adding the broth and tomatoes.

White & Green Chicken Chili

This is something that Jason loves, and I don't make it often enough for him. I didn't have quite enough of the chicken I made earlier this week leftover so I threw in a couple chicken breasts too. Throw them in whole (they can even be frozen) and shred the meat right before serving.  I even made homemade chicken stock!

White & Green Chicken Chili
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless chicken
2 green bell peppers, chopped
8oz diced green chilis
1 large onion, chopped
32oz chicken broth
3 cans Great Northern beans
16 oz frozen corn
1 1/4 tsp cumin
Juice of 1/2 lime
Salt & pepper
Shredded cheese and tortilla chips for serving

Directions:
1. Drain and rinse two cans of beans and add to crock pot. Drain and rinse the remaining can then place in a blender with 1/4 cup of the chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Add puréed beans and remaining ingredients into the crock pot.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Top with shredded cheese and/or crumbled tortilla chips, serve and enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Stock

One of the reasons I decided to make the whole chicken in the crock pot the other day was because Jason has been asking for White & Green Chicken Chili so I figured I could use any leftover chicken for that recipe.  I then had an 'a-ha' moment.....the Chili calls for chicken broth.....why not just make chicken broth out of the excess skin, liquid and bones from the whole chicken!?  Genius Sara, just genius!

Homemade Chicken Broth

Ingredients:
Excess skin, bones and cooking liquid from one chicken
4 cups water
Any root veggies available (onions, celery, carrots)

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients into a crockpot. Allow to cook on low for at least 8 hours - I let mine cook overnight.

2. Using cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer, strain the broth into a large bowl. Bring the broth to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until a solid layer of fat is at the top.  Remove the fat and either use right away or store in the freezer. Easy peasy!

Creamy Potato Soup

Another great Pinterest find!  I admit, I was a little skeptical about this recipe when I came across it.  But, it came out great (after a couple minor tweaks, of course :)!  And who doesn't love a great Crock Pot recipe!? It was super creamy and ended up having great flavor (I did have to add quite a bit of salt and pepper).  Next time I'm going to add carrots and maybe another veggie or two.
Creamy Potato Soup
6 Servings

Ingredients:
30-32oz frozen shredded hash browns
5-6 cups Vegetable broth
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
10 oz Cream of Potato soup (I made my own using this recipe)
1 pkg 1/3 less fat cream cheese (you could use full fat, but do not use fat free)
salt and pepper to taste
shredded Cheddar, bacon, chopped scallions, etc for garnish

Directions:
1.  Combine hash browns, broth, onion, red bell pepper, black pepper and potato soup into a crock pot.  Mix well, cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

2.  Add in the cream cheese and stir until it is all melted.  Taste soup and season with salt and pepper.  Cover and continue cooking for another 1-2 hours on low.  Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with whatever your heart desires.  Enjoy!

Cream of Broccoli (or any other veggie/meat) Soup

I was surfing through the second best site on the Internet (Pinterest - this blog is number one, obviously) the other day and came across a recipe for Cream of Anything Soup.  I was super excited because cream soup in a can is, well, kinda gross.  This week for dinner I decided to make a Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Bake and it just so happened to call for a can of Cream of Broccoli soup....so, I altered the ingredients slightly, added some broccoli and this is what I got.  It was so quick and easy!

Cream of Broccoli Soup
Equivalent to one 10oz can

Ingredients:
1 cup skim milk
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup finely chopped broccoli*
1 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 tsp vegetable bouillon (chicken or beef would work fine too)
Pinch of black pepper

Directions:
1.  Whisk together the milk and cornstarch in a small saucepan until well combined.  Turn the heat to medium and add the rest of the ingredients.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduced heat and simmer until soup has thickened.


*To make a different 'flavor' cream soup, just replace the 1/2 cup broccoli for 1/2 cup cooked veggie or chicken.  I'm making a Cream of Potato this weekend for a different recipe :)

Southwestern Bean Soup

One of my mommy friends posted on our FB group that she was making a bean soup the other night.  It sounded so good so I asked for her to share the recipe.  Due to what I had on hand, I added/substituted       some of the ingredients.  Hers had more of an Italian flare with oregano and basil, mine is more like a chili - a little smoky and a little spicy.

Southwestern Bean Soup

Ingredients:
1 cup dry bean mix (I used Goya's 16 bean mix)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 ribs of celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 of a jalapeno, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp Cumin
3/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 large roma tomato, diced
1 can (15oz) diced tomatoes with spicy red pepper
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
2 cups water
shredded Cheddar, Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese, optional
crumbled bacon or diced ham, optional

Directions:
1.  Place the beans in a bowl, cover with 3 cups cold water and let soak for at least 12 hours.

Before and After
Didn't know you were getting a Science lesson today, didja?

2.  Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.   Add the bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, celery and garlic.  Sprinkle with the cumin, salt and pepper and sauté for about 5-10 minutes; until the onion and celery begin to become translucent.

4.  Mix in the beans and tomatoes and add in the stock and water.

5.  Turn the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil.  Lower the heat to simmer and cover; cook for 1 1/2 hours.  Uncover and simmer for an additional 20-30 minutes.  Top with shredded cheese, bacon and/or ham. Enjoy!!

Grilled Gazpacho

Since it's a cold, veggie soup, gazpacho is normally served in the summer.  But, we're anything but normal here, so why not enjoy some gazpacho (that involves grilling outside....well, in the garage) in January?  Sounded good to us - and it tasted good too!  If you don't like spicy food - I would either leave out the Tabasco® or at least cut the amount in half.  It was quite spicy!

Grilled Gazpacho
Recipe from Weber's Charcoal Grilling
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
6 plum tomatoes
3 red bell peppers
2 red onions
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups low sodium tomato juice, plus more for thinning the soup
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp Tabasco® sauce
1/2 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:
1.  Prepare and heat a charcoal or gas grill.  Core each tomato and cut in half lengthwise.  Cut the the peppers into wide lengthwise strips, reserving 2 strips.  Cut the onions into 1/2 inch slices, reserving one slice.  Finely chop the reserved pepper and onion, set aside for garnish.  Lightly coat the tomatoes, peppers and onions with oil and season with salt and pepper.

2.  Grill the tomatoes, peppers and onions over direct medium heat, turning occasionally until the skins of the peppers and tomatoes are blistered and the onions are slightly charred and crisp-tender.  Remove the vegetables and let cool.  Remove any burnt pieces of the vegetables.

3.  In a blender or food processor, pureé the vegetables with the tomato juice, working in batches if necessary.  Chill for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

4.  When the pureé is thoroughly chilled, check the texture; if it is too thick, add more tomato juice.  Add the basil, vinegar and Tabasco® sauce.   

5.  Serve the gazpacho cold or at room temperature and top with diced cucumber, bell pepper, onion and a dollop of sour cream.

Roasted Potato Leek Soup

This is another recipe from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics.  It is quite time consuming, but has great flavor and is very filling.

Roasted Potato Leek Soup
6 Servings

Ingredients:
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks (about 5 medium-sized potatoes)
4 cups chopped leeks, cleaned of all sand and grit (about 4 good-sized leeks)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cups baby arugula, lightly packed
1/2 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken or veggie stock (I prefer low sodium)
3/4 cup heavy cream
8 oz créme fraîche*
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 400°.  Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer.  Add the olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly.

Roast for 40-45 minutes, turning them every 15 minutes, until very tender.  Add the arugula and toss to combine.  Roast for 5 more minutes until the arugula is wilted.  Remove the pan from the oven and place over two burners.  Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the stock and cook over low heat, scraping the pan for any bits sticking to the pan.

2.  In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor in batches, adding stock as needed to make a purée.  Transfer puréed soup into a large pot.  Add the remaining stock, Parmesan, cream, créme fraîche, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. 

3.  Once heated through serve with additional Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

*If you're like me and unable to find créme fraîche, you can use sour cream as a substitute.

For this recipe, Ina suggests topping this soup with crispy shallots along with the Parmesan.  My plan was to do this, but unfortunately, my shallots went from "crispy" to "burnt" in no time flat.

Three Bean Chili

For the first time, I have successfully met my 5 workout/week goal.  I have finally kicked whatever cold bug I had and I'm really hoping to be down at least a pound when I weigh in tomorrow morning.  Once I get into calorie counting and working out I become almost obsessed with it, and I'm getting to that point.  When you keep track of every single morsel of food that enters your mouth, it really puts things into perspective and how much you used to mindlessly eat.  I'm hoping that I'm even more successful this time around because we hardly ever go out to eat anymore, so I'm forced to cook almost every night.  Before we had Redmond, we would eat out at least twice a week....but now we don't want to take him out if we don't have to, especially during the Michigan winter.  And, it's a lot more work now to run to the gas station to get a bag of Cheetos and a Little Debbie snack cake :)

So, speaking of food, onto today's recipe.  During the winter I make chili at least twice a month - it's so easy, yummy, spicy and warm.  We love it!

Three Bean Vegetarian Chili:
About 8 (large) servings

Ingredients:

• 1 can (30.5oz) Brooks Chili Hot Beans, undrained
• 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 can great northern beans, drained & rinsed
• 2 cans (14.5oz) no salt added diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes w/ chiles
• 2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & diced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp Chili Powder
• 1 tbsp Cumin
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients into 4-5 quart crock pot, add seasonings to taste and cook on low for 8-9 hours. 

I don't measure any of the seasonings, so the measurements are kind of an estimate.  And of course, it's even better with cheese:

mmm.....cheesy.....

We're supposed to get hit with a huge snowstorm starting tomorrow evening through Wednesday.  Thankfully I got all of the grocery shopping done today and have our menu figured out for the week....or at least the main dishes.  Stay tuned for:

• Stuffed Poblanos
• Peanut Butter Noodles
• French Onion Soup (vegetarian, of course)
• Au Gratin Potatoes
• Creamy Pasta with Spinach

Can't wait for dinner!

Crock Pot Vegetable Minestrone

This is such a great recipe and it only takes about 15-20 minutes to get it going in the crock pot.  Very low in fat and calories too which is always a plus!

Crock Pot Vegetable Minestrone:
12 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 tsp vegetable bouillon dissolved into 4 cups warm water
• 4 cups no salt added tomato juice
• 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
• 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• 1 can (14.5oz) no salt added diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5oz) no salt added diced tomatoes w/ garlic, basil & garlic
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1-2 Parmesan rinds* (optional)
• 1 1/2 cup (6oz) multigrain rotini

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except rotini into a 4-5 quart slow cooker.
2. Cook on low 7-8 hours or until vegetables are cooked.
3. Stir in pasta and cook on high for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is cooked.  Top each serving with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Nutritional Info:
Cal 104, Fat .3g, Sodium 518mg, Carbs 22g, Fiber 4g, Protein 4g

*I save all of my Parmesan rinds in the freezer.  They make a great addition to soups and stews - just add them in and remove them before serving!

Cheesy Broccoli Potato Chowder

This recipe is from one of my favorite recipe sites, Eat Better America.  They "healthify" everyday recipes and make them just as tasty, but much better for you  (the "healthified" mac & cheese is one of Jason's faves). 

"It's a cheesy broccoli soup that actually fills you up", according to Jason :)



"Healthified" Cheesy Potato Chowder:

• 2lbs (about 6-7 medium) red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 32 oz vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 bag (12 oz) Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ frozen broccoli cuts
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup fat free milk
• 8 oz brick 2% cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup fat free sour cream (I used reduced fat)
• 4 green onions, chopped

1. In 5-quart Dutch oven, place potatoes; add just enough water to cover. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are very tender. Drain. Reserve 1 cup potatoes; return remaining potatoes to saucepan. In small bowl, mash reserved potatoes with fork; return to saucepan.
2. Stir in broth, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling. Add broccoli. Return to boiling; cook uncovered 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium.
3. In small bowl with wire whisk, stir flour into milk until well mixed. Add milk mixture to potato mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and boils. Stir in cheese until melted and smooth. Stir in sour cream and green onions; cook until thoroughly heated.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Both Jason and I really enjoyed this soup, I served it with onion dill crusty bread.  Very hearty and very filling.  I'm sure it would be really good with diced ham or bacon too.....if you're into that kind of thing :)