SOUPS
• Cream of Mushroom Soup with Red Wine
• Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Soup
• Shrimp Soup with Leeks and Fennel
• White Bean, Cherry Tomato, and Kale Soup
Cold Cucumber Soup
Nothing’s more refreshing on a hot day than this classic Greek soup. Serve it with pita bread or a salad for a light lunch or dinner. Nonfat yogurt is fine in this soup, or you can use strained conventional yogurt instead of Greek yogurt.
|
• 2 seedless cucumbers, peeled and cut into chunks • 2 cups plain Greek yogurt • 1/2 cup mint, finely chopped • 2 garlic cloves, minced |
• 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable stock • 3 teaspoons fresh dill • 1 tablespoon tomato paste • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste |
Puree the cucumber, yogurt, mint, and garlic in a food processor or blender.
Add the chicken broth, dill, tomato paste, sea salt, and pepper, and blend completely.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Serves 4.
Cream of Mushroom Soup with Red Wine
The classic flavors of Italy—red wine and mushrooms—are combined in this rich and creamy soup. Mushrooms are a good source of vitamins B2, B3, and B5, as well as selenium. Substitute crimini or oyster mushrooms for the button mushrooms, if you prefer.
|
• 2 ounces dried porcini • 2 ounces dried morels • 8 ounces portobello mushrooms, chopped • 8 ounces button mushrooms, chopped • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 teaspoon butter |
• 3 shallots, finely chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 4 cups mushroom stock or chicken broth • 1/3 cup dry red wine or sherry • 1/2 cup heavy cream • 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped |
Reconstitute the dried mushrooms by pouring enough warm water over them to cover. Allow the mushrooms to sit for 30 minutes and drain.
In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat.
Add the mushrooms and shallots, and cook for 10 minutes, until mushrooms are softened.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Add the thyme, and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Add the broth and wine and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove half of the soup, puree in a food processor or blender, then add it back to the pan. This will thicken the soup while still leaving some of the mushrooms intact for textural contrast.
Stir in the cream and warm through.
Pour into bowls, garnish with the chopped parsley, and serve.
Serves 6.
Farro Bean Soup
This soup is easy and inexpensive to make, highly nutritious, and simply comforting. Find the traditional Italian grain farro or emmer wheat at a health food store or warehouse store if your grocer doesn’t carry it.
|
• 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 medium onion, diced • 1 celery stalk, diced • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 8 cups chicken broth or water • 1 cup white beans, soaked overnight, rinsed, and drained |
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice • 1 cup farro • 1/2 teaspoon thyme • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper • 2 bay leaves • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste |
Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot on medium-high heat. Sauté the onion, celery, and garlic cloves just until tender.
Add the broth or water, beans, tomatoes, farro, and seasonings, and bring to a simmer.
Cover and cook for 2 hours, or until the beans and farro are tender. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Serves 8.
Hazelnut Soup
Sweet, creamy, and delicious, this light soup from Spain makes an excellent starter course. Hazelnuts are a great source of protein, folate, vitamins B6 and E, and amino acid arginine. Serve it with a green salad and sliced green apples.
|
• 4 ounces hazelnuts • 4 tablespoons olive oil • 4 leeks, white parts only, sliced • 1/2 onion, diced |
• 4 cups chicken stock, divided • 1/4 cup heavy cream • 2 tablespoons chopped chives |
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes.
Cool nuts in the refrigerator and process 3 ounces of the nuts in a food processor until fine. Reserve the remaining nuts for a garnish.
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan.
Add the leeks and onion, and sauté over low heat until tender.
Add 1/2 cup chicken stock, then puree the mixture in a blender until smooth. Return the chicken stock mixture to the saucepan. Add the remaining chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream until combined.
Pour into bowls and garnish with the unprocessed hazelnuts and chives.
Serves 4.
Lentil Soup with Spinach
Lentils are a staple of the Mediterranean diet. They are similar to beans as far as flavor and nutrients go, but they have one distinct advantage when it comes to preparation: they cook much faster. Though rich and creamy, they are also very low in calories. Pair these with a light red wine, such as Pinot Noir.
|
• 1 teaspoon olive oil • 1 cup onion, chopped • 1 1/2 cups lentils |
• 1 tablespoon curry powder • 6 cups water • 12 ounces spinach |
Heat the olive oil and sauté the onion. Add the lentils and curry powder and stir.
Add the water and cook until lentils are tender, about 15–20 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until wilted.
Serve with toasted whole-wheat bread and a green salad.
Serves 6.
Roasted Eggplant Soup
Fresh herbs add flavor to this soup as well as powerful nutrients and antioxidants. This makes an excellent meal on its own if served with bread, but it can also be served as a first course.
|
• 3 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise • Pinch sea salt • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 medium red onion, chopped • 2 tablespoons garlic, minced • 1 teaspoon dried thyme |
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 2 large ripe tomatoes, halved • 5 cups chicken broth • 1/4 cup low-fat cream • Small bunch fresh mint, chopped |
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Salt both sides of the sliced eggplant, and let sit for 20 minutes to draw out the bitter juices. Rinse the eggplant and pat dry with a paper towel.
Place the eggplants on a sheet pan, and put them in the oven.
Roast for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. When cool, remove all of the insides, discarding the skins.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onions and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add the thyme and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Put the eggplant, tomatoes, and onion in a food processor, and process until smooth.
Put the chicken broth in a pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and add the eggplant mixture.
Stir until well combined, and fold in the cream. Season to taste.
Serve the soup garnished with the fresh mint.
Serves 8.
Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Soup
Roasted red peppers make a sweet soup. When you add the salty feta, you get a savory combination that will make you think of Greece. Serve with a pita sandwich to complete the meal.
|
• 10 red peppers, peeled, roasted, seeded, and chopped • 2 red chili peppers, peeled, roasted, and seeded • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 medium red onion, chopped • 4 garlic cloves, minced |
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano • 6 cups chicken broth • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 1/4 cup cream • Juice of 1 lemon • 6 tablespoons crumbled Greek feta |
Put all of the roasted peppers in a food processor and process until smooth.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the pepper mixture and oregano, followed by the broth.
Bring to a boil on high heat and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the cream and lemon juice.
Pour into bowls, top with the crumbled feta, and serve immediately.
Serves 6.
Shrimp Soup with Leeks and Fennel
The Provençal flavors of leeks, fennel, garlic, and shrimp are featured in this elegant soup. Soup like this is low in calories yet filling, and provides several servings of vegetables. You can substitute scallops for the shrimp, if you prefer.
|
• 2 tablespoons olive oil • 3 stalks celery, chopped • 1 leek, both whites and light green parts, sliced • 1 medium fennel bulb, chopped • 1 clove garlic, minced • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste |
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds • 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined • 2 tablespoons light cream • Juice of 1 lemon |
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the celery, leek, and fennel, and cook for about 15 minutes, until vegetables are browned and very soft.
Add the garlic and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Add the fennel seed and stir.
Add the broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook about 20 more minutes.
Add the shrimp to the soup and cook until just pink, about 3 minutes. Add the cream and lemon juice, and serve immediately.
Serves 6.
Spinach and Brown Rice Soup
This recipe calls for a lot of spinach; however, cooking the spinach reduces its volume significantly.
|
• 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 large onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 3 pounds spinach leaves, stems removed and leaves chopped |
• 8 cups chicken broth • 1/2 cup long-grain brown rice • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste |
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the onion and garlic.
Cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and stir.
Cover the pot and cook the spinach until wilted, about 3 more minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the spinach and onions from the pot, leaving the liquid.
Put the spinach mixture in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth, then return to the pot.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Add the rice, reduce heat, and simmer until rice is cooked, about 45 minutes.
Season to taste.
Serve hot.
Serves 6.
Tomato Soup
This version of tomato soup is subtly flavored with the classic spices of Morocco—paprika, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon. In terms of nutrients, cooked tomatoes are a great source of lycopene.
|
• 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped • 8 large tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped • 1 teaspoon paprika • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • 2 cups chicken broth |
• 1 cinnamon stick • 1 teaspoon honey • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • Juice of 1 lemon • 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro |
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the olive oil and onion, and cook until soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes and the seasonings and stir.
Pour in the chicken broth, and add the cinnamon stick and honey.
Simmer for 15 minutes, and puree the soup in a food processor or blender (remove the cinnamon stick for this step and return it when done).
Pour back into the pot, and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Stir in the lemon juice and serve garnished with the cilantro and parsley.
Serves 6.
Turkish Lentil Soup
Lentil soup is one of the most inexpensive, nutritious foods you can make. If you can’t find green lentils, substitute brown. This Turkish-inspired recipe is vegetarian, but feel free to add shredded ham or chicken for a more robust dish.
|
• 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 small onion, diced • 2 tablespoons flour • 4 cups water or chicken stock • 1 1/2 cups green lentils |
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme • 1 teaspoon sea salt • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper |
Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot on medium-high heat. Sauté the onions just until tender and translucent.
Whisk in the flour, stirring for 30 seconds until thickened into a paste.
Slowly, whisk in the water or chicken stock 1/4 cup at a time, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
Add the lentils, carrot, and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, or until lentils are tender.
Serves 6.
White Bean, Cherry Tomato, and Kale Soup
White beans and kale are typical of Tuscany. This soup is as inexpensive as it is filling and nutritious. If you want to make this completely vegetarian, substitute vegetable stock.
|
• 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 small onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 bunch kale, torn into bite-sized pieces • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth |
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved • 2 cans white beans of your choice, drained and rinsed • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • Freshly grated, low-fat Parmesan cheese |
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Add the kale and stir until well coated with the olive oil. Add the broth and bring to boil on high heat.
Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, until kale is softened. Add the tomatoes and beans, and simmer for 5 more minutes. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
To serve, ladle into bowls, and sprinkle with freshly grated, low-fat Parmesan cheese.
Serves 4.
Zuppa di Fagioli
Traditionally, this Tuscan soup is made with cannellini beans or cranberry beans. Nutritionally, beans are great for lowering cholesterol. If you can’t find cannellini beans, use navy beans, white beans, or even chickpeas.
|
• 2 tablespoons olive oil • 3 carrots, peeled and diced • 1 onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 8 cups water or chicken broth • 2 cups dried beans, soaked overnight, rinsed, and drained |
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme • 1 bay leaf • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 8 slices whole-wheat bread • Freshly grated, low-fat Parmesan cheese |
Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot on medium heat.
Add the carrots and onion, and sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute more.
Add the water or chicken broth, the beans, and the seasonings, and cover.
Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours, or until the beans are tender.
Season to taste, and top with a slice of toasted whole-wheat bread and grated Parmesan cheese.
Serves 8.