Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir to combine. (The mixture will be very dry.) Add the reserved warm milk–stock combination and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add the broccoli stalks and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then decrease the heat to simmer. Cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the broccoli stems are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the florets and stir to combine. Continue to cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the spinach and stir to combine and wilt the spinach.

To finish the soup, in the stockpot, using an immersion blender, puree the soup. (It will take a few minutes with the immersion blender.) Or, ladle the soup into a blender and puree until smooth a little at a time. Leave it coarse and chunky if you prefer a more rustic soup or puree until smooth for a more elegant soup. Add the cheese and cayenne; stir to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. If needed, rewarm the soup over medium-low heat. Ladle into warmed serving bowls and serve immediately.

Calories 167

Fat 7 g

Carbs 18 g

Fiber 4 g

Protein 11 g

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

MAKES 9 CUPS TO SERVE 6

One of the greatest compliments I ever received in the kitchen was from a native Texan with Mexican ancestry who commented that this soup tasted like her grandmother’s version. Now, my friends, that is some mighty high praise.

Southern cuisine is alive and changing and is reflected in recipes like this one. There are now huge populations of Latin Americans in the South and their presence has certainly spiced up Southern food. There are also large Asian and Indian communities, mostly in the larger cities, but their effects are penetrating into the smaller towns and countryside, as well. Southern food has changed and is affected by these global influences. The food of South is now equally catfish and churrasco, barbecue and bulgogi, teacakes and tortilla soup.

The technique of charring the tomatoes creates a wonderfully smoky soup. This soup can be made ahead up to the point of adding the green onions, fresh cilantro, and lime juice. Serve along with a side salad for a full meal. It’s a more substantial meal with the chicken, but is also great as a full-flavored broth for sipping.

3 (6-inch diameter) corn tortillas

1 tablespoon pure olive oil

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tomatoes, cored

1 sweet onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled

6 cups homemade chicken stock or reduced-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

1 bay leaf, preferably fresh

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch cubes (1½ pounds)

4 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus whole leaves for garnish

Juice of 2 limes

2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and chopped, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.

Brush one side of each tortilla with a bit of oil; cut the tortillas in half. Stack the halves and cut crosswise into ¼-inch-wide strips. Spread the strips on the prepared baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet. Set aside.

Heat a medium skillet over high heat. Add the cored tomatoes and cook, in the dry skillet, until both tomatoes are charred on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.

In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. (The onion will also loosen some of the charred bits of tomato from the bottom of the skillet.) Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add to the bowl of the food processor with the tomatoes. Puree until smooth.

Heat a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the tomato-onion mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Add the bay leaf, cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper; bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to simmer and cook, partially covered, until the flavors are well combined, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the chicken; simmer until just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the green onions, ¼ cup cilantro, and lime juice. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

Just before serving, divide the tortilla strips among 6 bowls. Ladle on the hot soup and garnish with avocado and whole cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.

Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup

CHUNKY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

MAKES 9 CUPS TO SERVE 6

Shhh. Don’t tell. This soup is really vegetable soup with just enough chicken and noodles in it to warrant the name. And I’ve got another secret: it starts with a rotisserie chicken. Because, guess what? If you start with a store-bought rotisserie chicken and work in a little zip, you can have homemade soup on the table in just about 30 minutes. You’ll have a bit of chicken left over for sandwiches and salads, too.

Cooking is not only about making good food; it’s also about working smart and not wasting. Make sure to save the bones from the chicken. If you save the bones from the chicken, celery ends, carrot peelings, mushroom trimmings, and onion skins, you are well on your way to making stock. It’s a freebie. And, if you don’t feel like doing it now, just pop it all in a freezer bag and do it later.

2 teaspoons pure olive oil

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 garlic clove, very finely chopped

8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 cups homemade chicken stock or reduced-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

Bouquet garni

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups)

6 ounces green beans, stem ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1⅓ cups)

2 ounces (1 cup) uncooked egg noodles

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (about 12 ounces), from 1 (4- to 5-pound) rotisserie chicken

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms start to wilt and brown, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Add the bouquet garni and sweet potato. Bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to simmer and cook until the sweet potato is just tender, 15 to 17 minutes.

Add the green beans, egg noodles, and chicken. Stir to combine and poke with your spoon to make sure the beans and noodles are submerged. Simmer until the noodles and green beans are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle into warmed bowls and serve immediately.

Calories 216

Fat 3 g

Carbs 22 g

Fiber 3 g

Protein 27 g

THE BOUQUET GARNI

Bouquet garni is a French term to describe a sachet of herbs and seasonings. To make one, simply tie 3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley; 3 sprigs thyme; 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh; and 10 whole black peppercorns together in a cheesecloth.

GARLIC CHICKEN and GREENS
WITH CORNMEAL-HERB DUMPLINGS

MAKES ABOUT 12 CUPS AND 18 DUMPLINGS TO SERVE 8

Why is it that so many Southern classics start with a chicken in a pot? Chicken and dumplings is quite possibly the best cold weather comfort food combination—thick, hearty stew married with fluffy, tender dumplings. Dumplings are essentially biscuits simmered in chicken broth. There are two basic schools of thought when it comes to dumplings: drop, like these, or rolled, in which the dough is rolled out and cut into strips and slipped into the broth. The broth flavors the dumplings and the flour from the dumplings helps to thicken the stew. These dumplings are made with flour combined with whole-grain cornmeal, which boosts their nutritional profile.

Dumplings can be a bit tricky. It’s easy to wind up with heavy, paste-like dough balls. Ugh. There are recipes out there using canned biscuits, but with this easy, breezy dump-and-stir drop dumpling, you can have homemade down-home comfort in a snap—made with all-natural, wholesome ingredients.

2 teaspoons pure olive oil

1 sweet onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 carrots, coarsely chopped

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 quarts homemade chicken stock or reduced-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

1 bay leaf, preferably fresh

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ pound collard greens, stemmed and chopped, or 8 cups chopped collards from a bag

¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour

½ cup fine whole-grain cornmeal (not self-rising)

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup low-fat buttermilk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes (2 pounds)

Heat the oil in a heavy-duty pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the chicken stock, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the collards; decrease the heat to simmer and cook until bright green, about 10 minutes; keep at a simmer.

To prepare the dumplings, in a bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, cheese, baking soda, thyme, and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Add the buttermilk and melted butter to the dry ingredients and stir to combine until the dough forms.

Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, drop the dough, 1 tablespoon at a time, into the simmering stock. Cover and simmer until the dumplings are partially cooked and the vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, push aside the dumplings and slide the cubed chicken into the greens and broth. Cover again and continue to cook until the dumplings and chicken are cooked through and the collards are tender, an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle into warmed bowls and serve immediately.

Quick and Easy Turkey Chili

QUICK and EASY TURKEY CHILI

MAKES 9 CUPS TO SERVE 6

The best eating plans include a lot of high protein, low-fat foods. Protein gives your body energy and helps to build muscle instead of fat. A robust chili like this one is both lean and filling. I’m hefty handed with the chile powder to give it some serious umpff! When you buy chile powder, buy dried chiles that have been dried and made into powder, not a mixture of dried chiles, ground herbs, and spices. All too often those blends contain a great deal of salt. My favorite chile powder is pure New Mexican chile powder made from Hatch peppers. It’s available online and in better grocery stores.

Make sure you go easy on any add-ons like cheese or sour cream. Instead, try it with the Baked Onion Blossom for a seemingly decadent meal.

1 tablespoon pure olive oil

1 sweet onion, chopped

3 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes

2 (14.5-ounce) cans of low-sodium pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 pound ground turkey

1 carrot, grated

3 cups low-sodium tomato juice

2 bay leaves, preferably fresh

¼ cup ground dried red chiles

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the tomatoes, beans, turkey, and carrot. Using a wooden spoon, break up the turkey, then add the tomato juice. Bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to simmer and add the bay leaves, ground chiles, cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the turkey is tender and the flavors have married, about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

Ladle into warmed bowls and serve immediately.

Calories 330

Fat 13 g

Carbs 33 g

Fiber 11 g

Protein 20 g

DAMN GOOD DAWG CHILI

MAKES ABOUT 9 CUPS TO SERVE 6

Football is a religion in the South and tailgating is its tasty secular communion. My alma mater is the University of Georgia, and our colors are red and black, like this crowd-pleasing, comforting chili. Our mascot is “UGA,” an English bulldog. He, like all other good Georgia fans, is known in local parlance as a “damn good dawg” pronounced just like it’s written.

I prefer using dried beans over canned. There’s no doubt it takes a little bit more effort and planning. The upside is that you can control the amount of salt and any other ingredient that goes in them, how tender or firm the beans are in the final dish, and they are easier on the pocket book. This chili is pretty high in calories, but I think that it’s realistic to want 1½ cups of this damn good chili.

¾ pound ground chicken or turkey sausage

1 pound lean ground beef

2 sweet onions, chopped

5 garlic cloves, chopped

1 jalapeño chile, cored, seeded, and chopped

3 tablespoons dried ground red chiles

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 (28-ounce) cans no-salt-added whole tomatoes, with juice and coarsely chopped

1¼ cups homemade chicken stock or reduced-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons finely ground cornmeal

½ pound dried black beans, cooked (about 3 cups) or 2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

Heat a large heavy duty pot over medium heat. Add the sausage, beef, and onions. Cook, stirring often, breaking up the meat, until the meat is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the ground chiles, cumin, tomatoes, and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Add the cornmeal and black beans and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the flavors have married, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

Go Dawgs! Sic ’em!

Calories 415

Fat 18 g

Carbs 38 g

Fiber 10 g

Protein 32 g

A BIG POT OF BEANS

Dried beans are a lot cheaper that canned ones. One pound of dried beans measures about 2¾ cups and, once soaked and cooked, will produce 6 cups of cooked beans. Soaking peas and beans overnight often falls under the category of “well-intended but sadly forgotten.” If you forget to plan ahead, you can quick-soak the beans in about an hour: First, wash and sort the beans. Place in a large stockpot and add water to cover, about 3 quarts. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and let soak for 1 hour. Drain, discarding the water and return to the pot with an inch of water to cover. Bring to a boil with teaspoon or so of salt. (There’s a lot of debate about salting beans during cooking; I salt my beans near the beginning of cooking and taste and adjust for seasoning at the end.) Decrease the heat to simmer and cook until the beans are tender, 45 to 90 minutes, depending on the age of the beans. Drain well and proceed with the recipe.

BEEF and FARRO SOUP

MAKES 9 CUPS TO SERVE 6

Normally, beef and barley soup is made with beef shoulder that needs hours and hours of cooking. Top sirloin steak is quicker cooking, well flavored, tender, and yet still considered lean by USDA guidelines. Instead of barley, I am using farro, a hearty ancient grain that is very similar to barley, but quicker cooking, as well.

Although there’s actually not a whole lot of meat in this soup, it’s still very hearty and robust. Why? First, there’s a double dose of mushrooms that contribute to the intense, beefy flavor and second, the meat is cut into small pieces, so each spoonful contains a meaty bite.

2 teaspoons pure olive oil

1 pound top sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 carrots, peeled and diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 sweet onion, diced

1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 cups homemade chicken stock or reduced-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms (optional)

1 turnip, peeled and diced

½ cup semi-pearled farro

1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes in juice

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf, preferably fresh

Snipped fresh chives, for garnish

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Add the beef to the pot without crowding, stirring, until the beef is well-browned on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. (This may take two batches, depending on the size of your pot.) Transfer the beef to a plate.

Decrease the heat to medium and add the remaining oil, carrots, celery, onion, and fresh mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have exuded their liquid, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds.

Add the stock, dried mushrooms, turnip, farro, tomatoes with juice, thyme, and bay leaf. Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the farro is tender, about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.

Ladle into warmed bowls and garnish with snipped fresh chives. Serve immediately.

Calories 258

Fat 6 g

Carbs 28 g

Fiber 5 g

Protein 24 g

THE NAME GAME

The sirloin consists of several muscles, and steaks cut from this area, while flavorful, vary in tenderness. Top sirloin is desirable for its versatility. It’s located at the top of the steer’s butt, so it is also called sirloin butt steak, London broil, or top sirloin butt, depending on your butcher or part of the country.

PORK, SQUASH, and CHICKPEA SOUP
WITH COLLARD GREEN PESTO

MAKES 8 CUPS TO SERVE 6

Butternut squash is a hard winter squash with a flavor similar to sweet potato, yet lower in calories and carbs. Its natural sweetness creates a rich aromatic broth for the pork and the chickpeas. It’s often available already peeled and cubed in the grocery store—and while this prepared squash is a bit more expensive than buying it whole, it’s a real time-saver. You can also try this soup with rutabaga in place of the butternut squash. Poor rutabaga is often the last one left in the CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) box and all-too-often passed over at the grocery store. They can be intimidating, oddly large, and coated in wax. Rutabaga is in the cabbage-turnip family. The flavor is quite like a carrot without the sweetness. If you aren’t able to make the pesto, simply toss the four ounces of chopped collards into the soup at the end of cooking.

1 (1¼-pound) pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons pure olive oil

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 cups homemade chicken stock or reduced-fat, low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed

1 pound butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 (14.5-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Collard Green Pesto, for accompaniment

Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large heavy-duty pot over medium-high heat. Sear the pork in batches, without crowding, until browned on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove to a plate.

Decrease the heat to low. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, 3 to 5 minutes. (The vegetables will loosen the brown bits from the bottom of the pot, helping create flavor for the broth.) Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the stock, butternut squash, chickpeas, and paprika. Return the reserved pork and any accumulated juices on the plate to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover and decrease the heat to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the pork is cooked all the way through, about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and top with a dollop of the pesto. Serve immediately.

Pork, Squash, and Chickpea Soup

Calories 239

Fat 6 g

Carbs 22 g

Fiber 4 g

Protein 24 g