Mushroom-Caraway Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 10 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 medium carrots, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 4 slices pumpernickel bread
• 1/3 cup sour cream or creme fraeche

Directions

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the caraway seeds and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they begin to wilt, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Add the carrots and broth, cover and bring to a simmer. Uncover and cook until the carrots are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, combine the onion, vinegar and a pinch of salt in a bowl and let marinate while the soup simmers. Toast the bread.
Divide the soup among bowls and top with sour cream and the marinated onion. Serve with the toast.
Per serving: Calories 252; Fat 11 g (Saturated 6 g); Cholesterol 28 mg; Sodium 510 mg; Carbohydrate 28 g; Fiber 4 g; Protein 11 g

Hearty Italian Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Notes

This chicken soup is packed with zesty rich flavors and lots of good for you vegetables. By enhancing prepared low-sodium broth with lots of herbs and lemon and fresh chicken you get a soup that tastes like you simmered it all day long.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 whole sprigs, plus 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 6 (3-inch) strips lemon zest, cut from 1 lemon
• 1 small head fennel, thinly sliced (2 cups), fennel tops reserved
• 1 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• A 2-3 inch piece Parmesan rind, optional
• 2 carrots, sliced (1 cup)
• 2 stalks celery, sliced (1 cup)
• Kosher salt
• 2 cups, whole-wheat extra-wide noodle style pasta, 2 3/4 ounces (recommended: Ronzoni Healthy Harvest) **recommend just using 2 3/4 -ounce weight
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus extra for passing
• Lemon juice

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the onion and crushed red pepper flakes and cook until the onions begin to soften, 5 minutes. Meanwhile, tie the parsley sprigs, lemon zest, and fennel tops together. Add the herb bundle, broth, 2 cups of water, and, if using, the cheese rind. Bring to a very gentle simmer and simmer until the chicken is just cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones in large strips, and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, add the sliced fennel, carrots, and celery to the broth and season with salt, to taste. Continue to simmer until the vegetables are just tender, 5 minutes. Stir in the noodles and cook until just al dente, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved chicken, baby spinach, and Parmesan until the chicken is heated through and the spinach is wilted. Discard the herb bundle and cheese rind. Stir in lemon juice, to taste. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and serve with additional Parmesan for passing.

Low-Fat Clam Chowder

 

Ingredients

• 4 pounds cherrystone clams, scrubbed
• 2 large red-skinned potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 slice lean center-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup fat-free half-and-half
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 teaspoons unsalted butter, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions

Put the clams and 2 cups water in a pot. Cover, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until the clams open, 5 to 10 minutes (discard any that do not open); transfer the clams to a bowl. Pour the liquid into a large measuring cup. (You should have 3 cups liquid; add water if needed.) Wipe out the pot.

Pour the liquid back into the pot through a paper towel-lined sieve. Add the potatoes, cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove one-third of the potatoes. Continue to cook the remaining potatoes, covered, until soft, about 10 more minutes. Puree in batches in a blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pot.
Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and cook, stirring, about 3 more minutes. Add the bacon mixture and reserved potatoes to the soup. Cover and cook over low heat, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove the clams from their shells and roughly chop. Stir the clam meat and half-and-half into the soup; remove from the heat, cover and set aside, 20 to 30 minutes.
Discard the bay leaves. Season the soup with salt and pepper and reheat. Serve topped with a slice of butter, parsley, chives and paprika.
Per serving: Calories 353; Fat 9 g (Saturated 4 g); Cholesterol 76 mg; Sodium 251 mg; Carbohydrate 36 g; Fiber 4 g; Protein 29 g

Chinese Dumpling Soup

Ingredients

• 8 cups low-sodium chicken or mushroom broth
• 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned or cut into match sticks
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, preferably dark
• 1/4 cup Shaohsing rice cooking wine or pale dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar/or 2 tablespoons black vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced on the bias- about 1 cup
• 24 frozen Chinese dumplings, pork, shrimp, or 1 pound package
• 3 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
• 4 cups bag baby spinach
• chopped cilantro (optional)
• Asian chili paste (optional)

Directions

Put the broth, ginger, soy, wine, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and salt in a soup pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Adjust the heat so the broth simmers and cooks to lightly flavor with ginger, about 10-15-minutes.

Add the carrots, and simmer until tender and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Just before serving, add the dumplings, cook for 3 minutes, stir in the scallions and spinach and cook until the greens wilt, about 1 minute. Divide among warm bowls and serve. Serve with chili sauce on the side if desired.
Optional- Cook the dumplings according to package directions for potstickers- Serve dumplings on the side of soup.