Anyone who knows me well knows that I am a lover of great soups. I am also a Maker of great soups. Soup isn't just for those cold winter days. Soup is a filling, low calorie alternative to heavy meals which can weigh you down and tire you out in the summer heat. It is easy to digest, and easy to prepare. So follow me through a couple of my favorite soups for summer!
Here's a great way to use those delicious, low calorie summer squash that are so abundant right now!
YELLOW SQUASH AND BASIL SOUP
4 Tablespoons Butter
1 Medium Onion, finely chopped
4 Small Yellow Squash, trimmed and sliced
(about 2 pounds total)
3 Medium Carrots, Peeled and sliced
1 Can (14 to 14 1/2 ounces) Chicken Broth
(I use 99% fat free Swanson)
1 1/2 cups Water
1/2 Cup Fat Free Half and Half (if you are not
worried about the calories you may use light cream)
1 1/4 Teaspoons Salt
1/4 Teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup loosely packed fresh Basil, chopped
1. In 4-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender but now browned, about 7-8 minutes.
2. Add squash and carrots and stir to coat with onion mixture. Add broth and water; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until all vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Spoon half of mixture into blender; cover with center part removed to let steam escape (you may
use a stick blender instead if you have one and puree the mixture in the pan) Pour into large bowl and repeat with remaining mixture.
4. Return the puree to the same clean saucepan. Stir in half-n-half, salt and pepper; heat through. Stir in chopped Basil just before serving.
Each Serving is approximately 55 calories, 3 grams protein, 92g carb, 2 g total fat, 16 mg. cholesterol. 831 mg. sodium.
Add a side salad and a few crackers for a wonderful, healthy, and filling meal!
Here's a fun one for the seafood lovers out there!
CORN AND SHRIMP CHOWDER
THIS rich and tasty soup makes a delightfully satisfying meal. Save a little time by boiling the potatoes while the bacon and onion mixture cook. Buying cleaned shrimp is a time saver also.
Prep time: 20 minutes Cook Time: About 45 minutes
Makes about 11 cups or 10 First course servings
1 pound red potatoes (approx 3 med) cut into 1/2 inch pieces. You can also use the tiny red or
gold potatoes available in the grocery stores now.
1 can (14-14 1/2 ounces chicken broth.
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen whole-kernel corn
2 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound LARGE shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 cup half and half or light cream (again, feel free to use the fat free varieties)
1. In a 4 quart saucepan, heat potatoes, broth, salt, pepper and 1 cup water to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook ten minutes. Add 1 package frozen corn and cook just until potatoes are fork tender, about five minutes longer.
2. Meanwhile in a 12 inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 5 minutes. Add onion and cook until onion is golden and tender, about 10 minutes longer. With slotted spoon transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. When cool, break into pieces.
3. Add remaining 1 cup water and remaining package frozen corn to skillet with onion; heat to boiling over high heat. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turn opaque, 4-5 minutes.
4. When potatoes are tender, transfer 2 cups potato mixture to blender with center part of lid removed to let steam escape, and puree mixture until smooth. (You may choose to do this with a stick blender)
5. Return puree to saucepan. Add shrimp mixture and half and half...heat through...DO NOT Boil or the soup may curdle (still tastes good, but not so pretty!)
To serve top each serving with a little bacon.
Each serving has approximately 370 Calories, 23g protein, 39g carb, 15g total fat, 138 mg cholesterol,
915mg sodium.
Eat up!
I love soup and salad suppers in the summer. They are quick, healthy and don't leave you feeling like you swallowed a cow!
God Bless - Peace, Love and Joy
Here's a great way to use those delicious, low calorie summer squash that are so abundant right now!
YELLOW SQUASH AND BASIL SOUP
4 Tablespoons Butter
1 Medium Onion, finely chopped
4 Small Yellow Squash, trimmed and sliced
(about 2 pounds total)
3 Medium Carrots, Peeled and sliced
1 Can (14 to 14 1/2 ounces) Chicken Broth
(I use 99% fat free Swanson)
1 1/2 cups Water
1/2 Cup Fat Free Half and Half (if you are not
worried about the calories you may use light cream)
1 1/4 Teaspoons Salt
1/4 Teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup loosely packed fresh Basil, chopped
1. In 4-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender but now browned, about 7-8 minutes.
2. Add squash and carrots and stir to coat with onion mixture. Add broth and water; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until all vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Spoon half of mixture into blender; cover with center part removed to let steam escape (you may
use a stick blender instead if you have one and puree the mixture in the pan) Pour into large bowl and repeat with remaining mixture.
4. Return the puree to the same clean saucepan. Stir in half-n-half, salt and pepper; heat through. Stir in chopped Basil just before serving.
Each Serving is approximately 55 calories, 3 grams protein, 92g carb, 2 g total fat, 16 mg. cholesterol. 831 mg. sodium.
Add a side salad and a few crackers for a wonderful, healthy, and filling meal!
Here's a fun one for the seafood lovers out there!
CORN AND SHRIMP CHOWDER
THIS rich and tasty soup makes a delightfully satisfying meal. Save a little time by boiling the potatoes while the bacon and onion mixture cook. Buying cleaned shrimp is a time saver also.
Prep time: 20 minutes Cook Time: About 45 minutes
Makes about 11 cups or 10 First course servings
1 pound red potatoes (approx 3 med) cut into 1/2 inch pieces. You can also use the tiny red or
gold potatoes available in the grocery stores now.
1 can (14-14 1/2 ounces chicken broth.
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen whole-kernel corn
2 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound LARGE shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 cup half and half or light cream (again, feel free to use the fat free varieties)
1. In a 4 quart saucepan, heat potatoes, broth, salt, pepper and 1 cup water to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook ten minutes. Add 1 package frozen corn and cook just until potatoes are fork tender, about five minutes longer.
2. Meanwhile in a 12 inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 5 minutes. Add onion and cook until onion is golden and tender, about 10 minutes longer. With slotted spoon transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. When cool, break into pieces.
3. Add remaining 1 cup water and remaining package frozen corn to skillet with onion; heat to boiling over high heat. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turn opaque, 4-5 minutes.
4. When potatoes are tender, transfer 2 cups potato mixture to blender with center part of lid removed to let steam escape, and puree mixture until smooth. (You may choose to do this with a stick blender)
5. Return puree to saucepan. Add shrimp mixture and half and half...heat through...DO NOT Boil or the soup may curdle (still tastes good, but not so pretty!)
To serve top each serving with a little bacon.
Each serving has approximately 370 Calories, 23g protein, 39g carb, 15g total fat, 138 mg cholesterol,
915mg sodium.
Eat up!
I love soup and salad suppers in the summer. They are quick, healthy and don't leave you feeling like you swallowed a cow!
God Bless - Peace, Love and Joy
