Gnocchi, Sausage and Spinach Soup

THIS SOUP is one of my favorites. So when I saw this recipe, that was similar but had the wonderful additions of gnocchi and cream, I knew I had to try it asap.  I was able to pull it together quickly, and it made for a tasty weeknight dinner.  I have never had gnocchi in a soup, and really enjoyed how light it was!

Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1 cup
Points Plus: 6pp
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
1 t olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 T garlic, minced
6 oz turkey sausage, I like Trader Joes which is precooked!
1 t dried basil
4 cups chicken stock
1 package of store bought gnocchi
6 handfuls of baby spinach, stems removed
12 T fat free half and half
Salt + pepper to taste
Fresh basil to taste

Directions
Heat olive oil in a skillet and add your onion, pepper and garlic.  Saute until onions are soft, about 4-5 minutes.  I used precooked turkey sausage in this recipe, so at this point I added that sausage and sauteed until it was warmed, about 3 minutes.  If you are using raw, saute until cooked through. Sprinkle dried basil on your sausage and veggie concoction, and then add stock.  Bring to a boil and add gnocchi.  Cook according to package directions, about 3-4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

To Serve
For each individual portion, put a handful of spinach into the bottom of a soup bowl. Top with 1 cup of soup and then add 2 T half and half.  Sprinkle on fresh basil and enjoy!

Tip
First, as you may know, I don't like adding spinach to soup while it is cooking because, really, I don't like how it reheats for leftovers. When adding it as I explain above it keeps the spinach more fresh!

Recipe adapted from Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice

Tomato Basil Soup

Tomato basil soup is a lighter soup that is perfect for spring.  It's not as hearty as a chili or chowder, but it is still packed with flavor.  The fresh basil adds another element into the mix and helps to balance out the tomato flavor.

Servings:  6

Size:  1 1/4 cups of soup

Points Plus: 2pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 14 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth)
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup skim milk
3 Tbsp. fresh basil, diced

Directions:
In a large saucepan (or French oven) over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic with 1 Tbsp. olive oil.  Cook for 2-3 mintues.  Add the crushed and diced tomatoes, chicken broth, salt, pepper and sugar.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Remove 1/2 cup of soup mixtuer from the pan and add to small bowl.  Whisk in the 1/4 cup flour until smooth and return to the pan.  Simmer the soup over medium heat for 20-30 minutes.  Reduce the heat to low and stir in the milk and fresh basil.  Serve immediately.

Tip:
I forgot to do this, as you can tell by my picture, but sprinkle some fresh basil on top of each serving for an extra pop of color (and flavor!)

XOXO Megan

Chicken Sausage Italian Soup

This is a recipe makeover from the Italian Sausage Soup I posted about a year ago.  This is my go-to dinner if I am out of ideas because it it so quick and easy!  This is truly a 30-minute meal.  It's a hearty blend of Italian flavors and perfect for chilly weather.  I made it this week because of our April snowstorm here in Minnesota.  Yes, last week I was telling you about temps hitting 70 and now we are back to a winter wonderland outside, gotta love MN in the spring. :)

Anyways, I've adapted this recipe over time because I have made it so often I have some extra tips and tricks to make this soup even better than the original recipe.  I always make it with chicken sausage isntead of turkey sausage.  Also, I usually add a bit more pasta and I definitely add more chicken broth since the 2 cups it calls for never seems to be enough (espcially for leftovers).

Servings:  4

Size:  1 1/3 cups of soup + 1 Tbsp. cheese

Points Plus: 5 pts

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

8 oz. hot or sweet Italian chicken sausage

3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano

3/4 cup uncooked small shell pasta (or whatever shape you prefer)

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 cups bagged baby spinach leaves

4 Tbsp. grated fresh parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat.  Slice the chicken sausage into coins and add to pan, cook about 5 minutes or until browned.  Add broth, tomatoes and pasta to a large stock pot.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Once the mixture comes to a boil add the sausage and freshly ground pepper.  Cover the pot and reduce the heat; simmer for 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.  Remove from heat; stir in spinach until wilted.  Sprinkle each serving with cheese and basil.

Note: If you won’t be eating all of the soup at one time I would recommend putting the spinach leaves in each serving bowl and pouring the soup serving over the top to wilt the spinach.  The wilted spinach in leftover soup can become limp - this way you have freshly wilted spinach for each serving!

Adapted from Cooking Light

Tip:

With leftovers, feel free to add extra chicken broth if needed to make more of a soup consistency.  3 cups should be enough, but you might need more!

XOXO Megan

Cauliflower Chowder

I have said it before but I will say it again! It is SO easy to make healthy home made soup.  In many cases, when we are talking veggie soup, your steps are no more than adding a veggie to stock and letting it simmer, adding some spices and DONE!  Ok, ok, maybe there are a few more steps but really it is easy, and very tasty.  This soup is rich and creamy, and next time I will for sure be making a double batch.  You can add any toppings you want (it would be fun to add toppings you would add to baked potato soup) and the leftovers are even better the next day!

Servings: 4
Serving Size: 2 cups
Points Plus: 4pp
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
4 slices of raw bacon
1 t olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup skim milk
1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Possible additional toppings: sour cream, scallions, cheddar cheese (adjust pp)

Instructions
Get out a non-stick pan and cook your bacon until crispy. I got my bacon from the butcher, so it was sort of thick, and I feel like it took FOREVER to get crispy.  So just be patient and let it cook up! When the bacon IS crisped up, remove it from the pan and cut into tiny pieces. (a NS pan works better for frying bacon for me than my Dutch oven)

In your Dutch oven heat 1 t of olive oil. Add garlic, onion, celery and carrots and let cook until veggies are soft, about 3-4 minutes.  Wisk in your flour and incorporate into veggies.  Let heat, about 1 minute.  Stir in your broth and milk and bring the soup to a boil.  Add in your cauliflower and bay leaf and let simmer for about 15 minutes, until cauliflower is cooked through.

When soup is done check it for flavor and add salt + pepper depending on your taste.  I added about 1/8 t of kosher salt and a ton of pepper.  Because the stock I use is salty that was plenty of extra flavoring for me!

Tip
Ummm, how come I have never used pre-shredded carrots in soup before?  Buying the little bag of pre-shredded is perfect for soups and salads!

Recipe adapted from Damn Delicious.

XOXO - Katie

Chicken Taco Chili

Last weekend it was chilly outside and I was craving a chili.  I found this recipe on Skinnytaste with a twist on the tradtional chili - basically think crockpot chicken tacos + regular chili ingredients!  Again, I can't tell you how much I love cooking chicken in the crockpot.  It is just SO EASY!  This recipe came together so quickly and then cooked all day in the crock.  Also, this made for a lot of leftovers so we were set for dinner for the week almost!

Servings:  10

Size:  1 1/4 cups chili

Points Plus: 6pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5-6 hours

Ingrdient List:
2 large chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
1 medium onion, chopped
1 15 oz. can kidney beans
1 15 oz. can black beans
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes with chilies
10 oz. frozen corn
1 taco seasoning packet
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. cumin
Shredded cheddar, reduced-fat (1 oz. per serving)

Directions:
Put all ingredients besides the chicken in the crockpot and stir until everything is well combined, especially the spices.  Add the chicken breasts and make sure the chili mixture is covering them.  Cook on high for 5-6 hours, stirring occasionally.  Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove for the crockpot and shred with forks.  Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot and cook for an additional 30 minutes.  Serve with chopped fresh cilantro and 1 oz. shredded cheddar per serving.  Enjoy!

Tip:
Just a heads up - this recipe calls for a full Tbsp. of chili powder - so it definitely has some kick!  We love spice, so it wasn't too spicy for our tastes, but you might want to scale it back to your liking. 

XOXO Megan

White Chili

Before we move on to Spring I wanted to post ONE more tasty soup recipe. And a chili no less! And a WHITE chili no less!  I had never made white chili before, and this turned out really good. I adapted my recipe from Skinnytaste's White Bean Chili. I changed the proportions a bit and added a few additional veggies.  This is great as soup but would also make a tasty chili dip with veggies! Beware, this chili has a kick!

Servings: 14
Serving Size: 1 cup
Points Plus: 5pp
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredient List:
Cooking spray
1 onion, chopped into small pieces
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. chili powder
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 lbs ground turkey, lean
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 can yellow corn
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
Salt + pepper to taste
Green onions, chopped

Directions:
Spray a large dutch oven and heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, siring a few times. Add the ground turkey and cook through, about 5 more minutes. Add a pinch of salt, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes and cook for 2 more minutes. Add beans, corn, broth and bay leave - allow soup to simmer for 1 hour. Stir in the sour cream and let cook about 3 more minutes.  Top green onions!

Tip:
The great thing about chili is you can use whatever is in your fridge or pantry! I thought garbonzo beans would also work well in this soup.

XOXO - Katie

Roasted Red Pepper & Cauliflower Soup

You guys know how much we LOVE soups!  Here's another tasty recipe to check out.  Katie actually found this recipe on Closet Cooking's blog.  This is a hearty, vegetarian soup that makes for a perfect weekend lunch in winter and/or early spring.  The blend of cauliflower, roasted red peppers and spices/herbs all come together to produce a creamy, flavorful, healthy soup!

Servings:  6

Size:  1 1/4 cups

Points Plus: 3pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 60 minutes

Ingredient List:

4 red bell peppers, halved and seeds removed

1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp. thyme

1 pinch red pepper flakes

4 cups chicken broth

1 tsp. smoked paprika

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Turn on the broiler.  Place the red peppers, cut side down, on a baking sheet.  Broil the peppers for 10 minutes or until the skins are blackened.  Immediately put the peppers in an air-tight container to let steam for 20 minutes (this will make it really easy to remove the skins before dicing).  Place the cauliflower florets on another baking sheet with 1 Tbsp. olive oil; roast for 20-30 minutes in a 400° oven.  You will want to stir the cauliflower a few times in between to make sure it’s evenly roasted and not sticking to the pan.  Return to the red peppers and remove the skins and dice.  Heat the remaining oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot.  Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the thyme, red pepper flakes and cook for an additional minute, stirring well.  Add the roasted red peppers, cauliflower, chicken broth, paprika and salt & pepper.  Simmer for about 10 minutes.  Using an immersion blender, puree the soup mixture to your desired level of consistency. 

Tip:

Using a jar of roasted red peppers would save time if you want to make this recipe when you are short on time.  You would still have to roast the cauliflower to get a smoky, roasted flavor, but you could start the rest of the soup while the cauliflower roasts. 

XOXO Megan

Vegetable Soup

Do you need a recipe for a good, hearty vegetable soup?  Look no further!  This receipe was excellent and incorporated so many different veggie flavors.  My aunt found this recipe in the St. Paul newspaper and we made it together this past weekend. 

Servings:  6

Size:  1 ½ cups

Points Plus: 3pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredient List:

1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil

2 cups carrots, diced

1 cup onion, diced

1 cup leek, chopped (white part only)

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

6 ripe tomatoes (plum variety) seeded & diced

Salt & pepper to taste

6 cups vegetable broth

2 large sprigs fresh thyme

4 Tbsp. chopped parsley

1 cup green beans, chopped

1 cup zucchini, chopped

½ cup torn basil leaves

Directions:

Place oil in a large stock pot over low heat.  Wilt the carrot, onion and leek; stirring for 15 minutes.  Add garlic during the last 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and season with salt & pepper; cook for 3 minutes.  Add broth, thyme and 2 Tbsp. parsley; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium; simmer for 20 minutes.  Add green beans, zucchini and basil; simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Stir in remaining parsley.  Serve with soup crackers or a sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese.

Tip:

This soup would be very good with fresh vegetables near the end of summer or early fall; however you can make it in the middle of winter as well!  Just substitute in frozen green beans and diced tomatoes (you will want a 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes).  You can also opt for dried herbs instead of buying fresh versions of thyme, parsley and basil if you want.

XOXO Megan

Tuscan Chicken Soup

Today is the last day of the SOUPER BOWL!  We hope you choose one recipes we posted this week to make for the real live Super Bowl on Sunday. There is nothing better than having a pot of soup simmering on the stove all day long (or in the crock). Click appetizer’s on the right sidebar for a few of foodlove’s favorites, to help really get the party started!

This is one of my favorite restaurant copies – Tuscan Chicken Soup.  Originally from D’Amico & Son’s in MN, this is one of their signature soups.  It is full of veggies and flavors, when I tried it for the first time I knew I had to try and recreate it.  But before I got all creative in the kitchen, I just Googled the recipe, and lo and behold there it was online!  The original person who posted this recipe claims to be the granddaughter of the women who originally started serving it at the restaurant.  I gave it a try and it is really close – and delish.  Half & half is optional in this recipe but I totally recommend it, as it gives your bowl a creamy boost in flavor (and half & half is low in pp in my opinion, when used in moderation.

Servings: 8

Serving Size: 1 cup

Points Plus: 4pp

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: About 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 T. olive oil

1 chicken breast, cut into small pieces

1 medium yellow onion, diced

4 medium carrots, diced

4 stalks of celery, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 yellow squash, diced

3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped finely

1 t. dried oregano

1t. dried basil

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

4 cups low sodium chicken stock

Kosher salt + ground pepper to taste

1 cups small pasta, small shells, that ‘O’ shaped pasta, pearl couscous…as examples

16 T half & half

Instructions

Get out your large Dutch oven again (we hope after this week you invest in a large, cast iron Dutch oven, because they really do make life easier).  Warm your olive oil and then add the diced carrots to your pan.  Let cook about 4 minutes, and then add onion, celery, zucchini, squash and diced chicken.  Sauté the mixture about 4 more minutes.  Then add garlic and sauté about one minute more. Add chicken stock, tomatoes, basil and oregano. And bring to a boil.  Let soup simmer for 20-30 minutes, and then add pasta. Let soup simmer until pasta is cooked according to package directions.  Next, season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve this soup up, and add 2 T. half & half per bowl.  Enjoy with a glass of bottomless wine, just like you are at D’Amico & Sons!

Tip

We have made this in our household twice.  The first time, I followed the recipe and the second time I sort of added whatever was in the fridge.  Needless to say, the second time the proportions were off, so I recommend following this recipe with the recommended amounts of veggies. 

XOXO - Katie

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken enchiladas meet the crockpot!  I love Mexican, especially enchiladas - here is a fun recipe that turns them into a soup which helps cut down on pp. The original recipe comes from Skinnytaste with just a few modifications.  This is a great recipe to throw in the crockpot and before you know it you have dinner on the table!

Servings:  6

Size:  1 ½ cups soup

Points Plus: 7pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 4-6 hours in the crockpot

Ingredient List:

2 tsp. olive oil

½ cup onion, chopped

3 cups chicken broth, low sodium, fat-free

8 oz. can tomato sauce

1-2 tsp. chipotle chili in adobo sauce

1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes

2 cups frozen corn

1 tsp. cumin

½ tsp. dried oregano

2 8 oz. chicken breasts, skinless, boneless

¼ cup scallions, chopped

¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese, reduced-fat

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute for 3-4 minutes or until tender.  Pour in the chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and mix throughly.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then remove from heat.  Carefully pour or ladle this mixture into your crockpot. Add the drained can of beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin and oregano and stir until the enchilada sauce mixture is combined.  Finally add the chicken breasts and cover.  Set your crockpot to cook on high for 2 hours and then reduce the temperature to low for the remaining 2 1/2 - 3 hours.  Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove and shred with forks.  Put the shredded chicken back into the crockpot and cook on low an addtional 30 minutes.  Serve with a chopped scallions and cilantro on top and 2 Tbsp. of cheese per serving!

Tip:
Want to know a super fun tip on how to pour hot liquid without risking it splashing all over and making a huge mess???  When pouring, flip your soup ladle so back of the ladle is facing up and pour the liquid directly onto the back of the ladle.  The liquid will follow the curves of the ladle and will easily pour this way. This also works with a big spoon too!

XOXO Megan

French Onion Soup

Did you know that French Onion soup is an easy soup that is low in pp??  When the base is broth and the main ingredients are onions, how can you not expect a low in points soup?  Try out this recipe for a delicious French Onion.  This recipe is a family favorite for holidays!

Servings:  6

Size:  1 cup + baguette slice and cheese

Points Plus: 5pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 65 minutes

Ingredient List:

2 lbs. yellow onions, sliced (about 3 large onions)

2 (10.5 oz) cans beef broth

2 (10.5 oz) cans beef consommé

21 oz. water (use the empty soup cans)

Bay leaf

6 slices of a baguette

6 Tbsp. shredded Swiss or Provolone cheese, reduced-fat

6 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Peel and thinly slice the onions into rings instead of chopping or dicing; these will hold up better in the soup.  In a large Dutch oven or stock pot (again a piece from Le Creuset would work great!), sauté the onions for 45 minutes until they are caramelized.  Add a total of 6 cups of beef stock consisting of: 2 cans of beef consommé, 2 cans of beef broth and 2 cans of water.  Add a bay leaf and simmer for 20 minutes.  Slice and toast the baguette until crisp and crusty.  Ladle out 6 servings of soup and place a slice of baguette in each bowl. Cover the top of the baguette 1 Tbsp. of shredded Swiss or Provolone depending on your preference (I personally dislike the taste of Swiss) and 1 Tbsp. of shredded Parmesan cheese.  Place the plated portions of soup into your broiler for a few minutes to melt and brown the cheese on top before serving.

Tip:

Shredded cheese is a great use of pp because it covers much more surface area in a meal than a slice of cheese will, but for less volume and consequently less pp! 

XOXO Megan

Thai Chicken (Curry) Soup

I.L.O.V.E.C.U.R.R.Y. This recipe is for an easy and healthy curry flavored soup.  This soup is perfect on its own, but I ate it over brown rice to make it a bit more authentic and filling.  My recipe is adapted from this one, the main difference being that I cooked it on my stovetop and not in my slow cooker (although I am sure the slow cooker would have been tasty)! Enjoy!

Servings: 6

Serving Size: 1 cup of curry + ½ cup brown rice

Points Plus: 10pp (7pp if just eating the soup)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons red curry paste

2 12 ounce cans of coconut milk (one light and one regular)

2 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into 1/4 inch slices

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 heaping tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 cup carrots, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon lime juice

Cilantro for garnish

3 cups cooked brown rice

Cooking spray

Directions:

Spray the bottom of a large pot and add your red pepper, onion and carrots. Cook for about 4 minutes and then add your chicken. Sautee until chicken is cooked through. Add your ginger and garlic and cook about 2 more minutes. Mix the curry paste, coconut milk, chicken stock, brown sugar and peanut butter and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down and let it simmer on low for about 45 minutes.  Add in the peas and cook for about three minutes longer. Serve 1 cup soup over ½ cup brown rice with a squirt of lime and fresh cilantro.

Tip:
Instead of red curry paste, try green or yellow paste for a different flavor profile for this soup. If you do try out a different type of curry paste make sure to comment and let us know how it turned out!

XOXO Katie

Butternut Squash & Potato Soup

Next weekend is the Super Bowl and in order to get ready for the big game, Katie and I bring you the SOUPER BOWL of soups!  We have 5 new soup recipes for you to test out to see who you think should be the ultimate champion. :)  Okay, enough with the football references... but we do hope you are excited for a week full of new soups though!

First up... Butternut Squash & Potato!

I LOVE butternut squash and this soup is a creamy, delicious blend of squash, potato and onion flavors.  You will be surprised at how easily this comes together! And it makes a lot so you'll be set with leftovers for days!  Here is a link to the orignal recipe, I omited a few ingredients to lighten it up.  Enjoy!

Servings:  8

Size: 1 1/4 cups

Points Plus: 3pp

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredient List:

2 Tbsp. butter

5 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 1 ½ lbs.)

2 cups potato, peeled and cubed

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 cup onion, chopped

4 cups chicken broth, fat-free and less sodium

Directions:

In a large Dutch oven (I used my 5.5 quart Le Creuset oval French Oven), melt the butter.  Add the cubed squash, potato, salt and pepper and sauté for about 3 minutes.  Next, add the onion and sauté for an additional minute or two.  Add the chicken broth and stir until well mixed.  Bring this to a boil; once the soup begins to boil reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the veggies are soft and tender.  You will want to stir occasionally throughout the cook time.  Once the veggies are done cooking, get out your immersion blender and puree until your desired level of consistency.  Optional: Serve with some fresh chives sprinkled on top. Or sprinkle on a few oyster crackers!

Tip:

If you don't own an immersion blender, go buy one immediately!  Just kidding, but you really should invest in one as they make blending soups SO easy.  And as an added bonus, clean-up is a breeze since you just have to clean the blade you use and you're done! 

XOXO Megan

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Before learning how to eat healthy I had no clue how easy it was to make yummy veggie soup.  I have tried many recipes over the years that really are just veggies and bullion (or stock), and they almost always turn out amazing!  This recipe from Skinnytaste is so easy and is one of my favs.  I love mushrooms (not everyone does ;), and this soup is great paired with half of a sandwich for lunch.  Also, it is only 2pp per serving.  Pretty amazing if you ask me!

Servings: 5

Servings Size: 1 1/4 cup

Points Plus: 3pp

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Rating: 4 stars - Very Good

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. flour

4 cups water

3 chicken bouillon cubes

5 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced

8 oz baby bella, sliced

1 celery stalk

Fresh ground pepper

Raw scallions

8 Tbsp. soft goat cheese

Instructions

Put water into a heavy stock pot and bring to a boil.  Add flour slowly, whisking as you go. Set pot to medium heat.

Add celery, mushrooms, chicken bouillon and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until veggies are soft, about 30 minutes. Remove and toss celery.  Using your immersion blender, blend to the consistency that you enjoy.  If you don't have an immersion blender take a few cups of the soup out and put it into your blender, and then return to the pot.  Continue cooking a few minutes longer.  I served my soup with a few raw onions and a dab of goat cheese (because I didn't have any sour cream.  

Tip

Bouillon has a TON of salt and maybe that is why I love it so much (I love salt which is bad, I know).  Don't fear, I am on the hunt for a better bullion.  I have found a few recipes for DIY that I am going to test out in the next few weeks.  I have never found a stock that I think tastes as good as bullion, so if you have one, please let me know what it is and I will give it a try!  Add the bouillon slowly.  If you like your soup less salty you might not need 3 cubes.

XOXO Katie