Butternut Squash Soup

• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 carrots
• 3 potatoes
• 1 butternut squash
• 3 cups broth
• 1 tsp curry
• salt & pepper

1. saute onion in oil, add minced garlic
2. add chopped carrots, chopped potatoes, chopped squash (after peeling)
3. add broth and curry
4. boil thoroughly
5. blend in food processor, blender, etc until smooth (works best if you use a slotted spoon to put the vegetables in the blender and add liquid as needed - you don't want it too soupy)

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Soup

adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod

• 1 large onion
• 5 cloves garlic
• 3 sweet potatoes
• 1/2 green pepper
• 3 cups broth (vegetable/chicken)
• 2 cups water
• 1 large can black beans (30 oz), rinsed/drained
• 1 large can diced tomatoes (28 oz)
• 1 T chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• dash of red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp cilantro
• salt & pepper to taste

1. fry chopped onion in Tsp oil with minced garlic
2. add chopped sweet potatoes, green pepper and red pepper flakes
3. add broth and water
4. boil 10 minutes
5. add black beans and diced tomatoes
6. add chili powder, cumin, cilantro, salt/pepper
7. heat through (and until potatoes, etc are soft

Sauerkraut Stew

• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 big carrots
• 3 potatoes
• 1/2 green pepper (optional)
• 1-2 cups broth (vegetable/chicken)
• 2 jars (28.5 oz each) Gundelsheim Barrel Sauerkraut
• 2 links turkey sausage
• Salt & pepper to taste

1. chop & fry onions in olive oil
2. add minced garlic
3. add chopped carrots, potatoes, green pepper
4. saute for 5 mins
5. add 1 cup broth
6. boil for 10 mins
7. add sauerkraut & sausage
8. stew until heated through (....carrots & potatoes soft)
9. add salt & pepper as you wish!

Pureed Sweet Peas

• 8 oz frozen peas
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3 TBS chicken/vegetable broth (I just used water)
• 2 TBS sunflower seeds
• 1 TBS minced fresh herbs such as mint, basil, chervil, parsley (I used basil)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop onions and garlic
2. Heat 1 TBS broth (water) in skillet
3. Saute onion in broth over medium heat for 4 minutes
4. Add garlic and saute for another minute
5. Add 2 TBS broth, peas and herbs and cook until tender
6. Puree in blender with sunflower seeds
7. Season with salt and pepper

This is so delicious - creamy and filling. I chose not to follow the directions and instead just threw everything together from the get-go. This is a great substitute for potato soup, mashed potatoes, etc (less starchy).

Black Bean Soup

This recipe promised to be similar to Panera Bread's Black Bean Soup, but it wasn't. The taste was lacking something... yet when I searched the internet, it seemed no one could exactly decipher the exact Panera recipe. Perhaps I'll attempt another copy cat Black Bean in the future!

Note: I used chicken broth instead of bouillon cubes and a orange pepper instead of red. I also had to double the cornstarch to get the soup to the desired thickness.. it just didn't seem to thicken at all with the called for amount.

• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic gloves, minced
• 1/4 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 small chicken bouillon cubes
• 1-1 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, undrained
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 lemon, juice of
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1. Combine first 6 ingredients, simmer for 10 minutes
2. Add half a can of beans, salt and cumin; cook for 5 minutes
3. Puree soup (I used a blender)
4. Add the rest of the beans to the soup
5. Combine cornstarch with 1 1/2 tablespoons water
6. Add lemon juice and cornstarch tot he soup; cook until thickened

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

discovered here

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 1 can (14oz) coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• 2 cans (15oz) black beans
• 2 tsp curry
• 1 tsp tumeric
• 1 tsp salt

1. bake (or microwave) sweet potatoes until soft - about an hour in oven at 400 degrees
2. mash potatoes into pot on stove (without peels)
3. pour in coconut milk and mash together (i used blender to blend until smooth)
4. add broth, yellow bell pepper, and spinach
5. add curry, tumeric, and salt
6. bring to boil, then turn heat down
7. add black beans
8. served on white rice
   

note: may need more or less curry depending on own preference

Chicken and Spinach Soup

Another one of my recipes originated from Eating Well (having a few small changes from the original recipe). Due to milk allergies, I cut out the Parmesan cheese as a soup ingredient.. instead having Parmesan as an optional topping. I also picked fresh basil leaves (around 6-8), and didn't take the time to measure the exact cup amount. Furthermore, my recipe was a little different as I doubled it.. hoping it would last longer than a day (soup goes fast here!). The recipe below is the original (not doubled) recipe minus the Parmesan. If you'd like to add Parmesan, simply put 1/4 cup into the oil & basil mix.

Chicken and Spinach Soup

• 2 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot or diced red bell pepper
• 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into quarters)
• 1 large clove garlic
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped
• 1 15-ounce can great northern beans, rinsed
• 1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
• pepper to taste

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add carrot (or bell pepper) and chicken; cook, turning the chicken and stirring until the chicken begins to brown.
3. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
4. Stir in broth and marjoram, bring to boil over high heat.
5. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through (5 minutes).
6. Remove chicken.
7. Add spinach and beans to the saucepan; bring to a gentle boil. Cook 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
8. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and basil in a food processor (I used a blender). Process until a coarse paste forms, adding a little water and scraping down the sides as necessary.
9. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Stir the chicken and oil/basil into the pot.
   
10. Season with pepper. Heat until hot.

Serving Size: 1 1/2 cup
Per Serving: 204 calories

Sweet & Sour Beef-Cabbage Soup

My recipe was a little different... I pretty much doubled some things and tripled others. However, the ending result looked pretty similar to the recipe picture I found in the October 2009 issue of Eating Well.

Recipe
(mostly the original from Eating Well.. few slight changes)

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 onion, chopped
  
• 1/4 bell pepper, chopped
  
• 1 medium golden delicious apple, peeled, diced
• 6 cups broth
• 1 15-ounce crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 3 cups coarsely chopped Savoy or green cabbage
• 1-2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste

1. Heat oil over medium heat.
2. Add beef, caraway seeds, thyme.. cook (stirring and breaking up beef) until it is mostly browned.
3. Stir in bell pepper, onion, and apple. Cook & stir for 2-3 minutes more.
4. Stir in broth, tomatoes, honey, paprika, and adjust the heat so the mixture boils gently. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
5. Stir in cabbage and cook just until barely tender.
6. Season with vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Serving Size: 1 3/4 cup
Per Serving: 250 calories