Soup

When the weather is cooling off, and you want something warm, yummy, and comforting, what could be better than homemade soup? It fits the bill on so many levels.

When I was growing up, my mom had a soup tureen similar to this one. When she'd pull it down from its place in the cupboard, I knew we were in for a yummy meal. Usually, she'd also make homemade rolls to go with the soup.

Mom

Sometimes, Mom would have the radio on low while cooking, listening to easy listening music. I've gotten to where I occasionally listen to one of three NPR stations: WMNF, WUSF, or WPKN. The first two are out of Tampa, Florida, the last out of Bridgeport, Connecticut. (You can access them either online on your computer or your Alexa device.) I also have CDs from several groups that just put me in the mood to do anything creative (whether cooking, writing, painting, or photography); check out Playing for Change or Abigail Washburn, for starters.

Now, for the soup recipes. Check out the Three Sisters Soup, the Slow-Cooker Cuban Black Bean Soup, or any of the other yummy soups in today's post. Enjoy!

HEARTY HAM AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

This is by Pam Anderson and was in the January 2010 issue of Runner's World (page 44; "The Athlete's Palate"). It begins, "The cabbage in this dish is rich in vitamin C and fiber, as well as phytonutrients that helpl protect against some cancers. To save time and speed up the cooking process, heat the broth and tomatoes in the microwave while chopping the vegetables."

Pam Anderson has a really great cooking site, called Three Many Cooks. I really recommend it. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap

And now, on to the soup.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced into medium pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

2 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin

1/2 cabbage, cored, cut into bite-size shreds

12 ounces lean ham steak, diced into small pieces

1 quart chicken broth

1 14.5-ounce can petite-diced tomatoes

2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, undrained

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat the oil over medium-high in a soup kettles. Add the onion, saute until soft and golden, about five minutes. Add the Italian seasoning and saute until fragrant, about one minute. Add the remaining ingredients, then bring to a full simmer, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to low, simmer gently (partially covered) until the vegetables are just cooked and flavors blended, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley; cover and let stand five minutes. Serve's six.

ITALIAN MEATBALL SOUP

Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings (about 2 cups each)

Source: 1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes

Book Title: 1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/italian-meatball-soup.

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds ground turkey

2 egg whites

1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

4 cloves garlic, minced, divided

3 tablespoons Italian seasoning, divided

Olive oil cooking spray

4 cans (15 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 cups water

2 cups green beans, diagonally cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 medium carrots, sliced

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

8 ounces thin spaghetti, uncooked, broken into 2-to 3-inch pieces

2 medium plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Mix ground turkey, egg whites, bread crumbs, 2 cloves of garlic, and 2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning until well blended; shape mixture into 32 meatballs. Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Cook meatballs until browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add chicken broth, water, green beans, carrots, onions, remaining 2 cloves garlic, and remaining 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning to saucepan; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered until vegetables are almost tender, about 8 minutes.

Heat soup to boiling; add pasta and tomatoes. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 270; Fat: 8.7 g; Sodium: 174 mg; Cholesterol: 31.7 mg; Protein: 19 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Bread, 2 Meat, 1/2 Fat

THREE SISTERS SOUP

This is from American Heart Association, and begins, “Simple Cooking with Heart brings you this interesting vegetable and bean soup called Three Sisters Soup.

“This is actually a Native American recipe and the three 'sisters' refer to corn, beans and squash!”

Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/three-sisters-soup

Ingredients

6 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

16 oz. canned, low-sodium yellow corn or hominy, drained, rinsed

16 oz. canned, low-sodium kidney beans (drained, rinsed)

1 small onion (chopped)

1 rib celery (chopped)

15 oz. canned, cooked pumpkin (Tip: Be careful, don’t get pumpkin pie filling!)

5 fresh sage leaves

OR

1/2 tsp. dried sage

1/2 tsp. curry powder

Directions

Bring chicken stock to a slow boil.

Add corn/hominy, beans, onion and celery.Boil for 10 minutes.

Add sage leaves, curry and pumpkin and simmer on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.

SLOW-COOKER CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

This comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "This all-day slow-cooker recipe isn’t your average bean soup—it’s wildly flavorful and extra hearty, and we’d bet it’ll become your favorite on the first try. The secret is in cooking the beans with a bone-in ham shank that infuses flavor into every bite. The key to getting the perfect consistency, mashing the beans, is a can’t-skip step that’s super easy. Finish your bowl with the toppings of your choice, like pico de gallo, sour cream, avocado or a squeeze of lime juice, and prepare to be impressed!"

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Soup

1 carton (32 oz) Progresso™ chicken broth

1 ham shank (about 1 1/2 lb)

3 cans (15 oz each) Progresso™ black beans, drained, rinsed

1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

1 medium onion, chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Toppings

Fresh pico de gallo, sour cream, sliced avocado, lime slices, if desired

Directions

In 5-quart slow cooker, mix all Soup ingredients except lime juice. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours or until ham easily pulls away from bone.

Remove ham shank from slow cooker. Pull ham away from bone; chop, discarding the bone. With potato masher, carefully mash black beans inside slow cooker insert. Stir in 1 cup of the ham and the lime juice. Serve soup with Toppings.

Expert Tips

Ham shanks vary in size, and some may have more meat than others. Save any remaining ham for another use.

To add more spicy heat, stir in an additional 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or top with a medium or hot fresh pico de gallo.

ROOT VEGETABLE CHILI SOUP

This is from the September 2007 (?) issue of Vegetarian Times (page 76), and begins, "Root vegetables like rutabagas and carrots are great for spicy kitchen experiments because they lend subtle sweetness to dishes. Believe it or not, you can use curry powder in place of the chili powder here—the soup will have an Indian flair. Dishes that call for chili and curry powders get better over time, so make this dish a day ahead." Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/root-vegetable-chili-soup/.

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn, thawed

2 Tbs. canola oil

1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

4 tsp. mild chili powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 small rutabagas, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 1/2 lb.)

2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1/2 lb.)

1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes

1 small russet potato, finely diced (1 cup)

2 Anaheim, banana, or mild peppers, seeded and chopped (3/4 cup)

1 small red bell pepper, chopped (2/3 cup)

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced, optional

1 15-oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Preparation

Heat large pot over medium heat. Add corn, and sauté 2 minutes, or until beginning to brown. Add oil, onion, and garlic, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Stir in chili powder and cumin, and cook 2 minutes, scraping bottom of pan with spatula.

Add rutabagas, carrots, tomatoes, potato, Anaheim pepper, bell pepper, jalapeño, if using, and 3 cups water.

Bring pot to a simmer, and season with salt. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Add beans and cook, uncovered, 45 minutes, or until soup thickens. Serve garnished with green onions or cilantro.

MEXICAN VEGETABLE SOUP WITH SALSA VERDE

This is from Weight Watchers, and begins, "Zucchini, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes come together with cumin and chili powder in this delicious, chicken broth-based soup. Fresh cilantro and salsa verde add a pop of bright flavor just before serving, and a dollop of fat-free Greek yogurt lends luscious creaminess to each serving. And in more nice news, this soup comes together in about 20 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes on the stove. It's also great with shredded, cooked chicken, and a little roasted, diced sweet potato or cooked brown rice, if you're looking to turn it into a main course. And if you'd like a little extra heat, add a dash or two of hot sauce."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Serves: 8; Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

4 sprays Cooking spray

4 cups Reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 cups uncooked onions, chopped, diced

1 medium orange bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 medium yellow pepper, seeded and diced, 1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

3 small uncooked zucchini, diced

15 oz. Canned diced tomatoes, fire roasted-variety

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup salsa verde

1/2 cup plain fat free Greek yogurt (optional)

Instructions

Coat a large soup pot with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add onion, bell peppers and salt; cook, stirring often, until crisp-tender, 7-8 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, chili powder and black pepper; cook, stirring a few times, 1 minute.

Add zucchini, tomatoes and broth; increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to heat to medium low; simmer, covered until zucchini is tender, 5-8 minutes. When ready to serve, stir in cilantro; garnish with salsa verde and yogurt.

Serving size: 1 c soup, 1 Tbsp salsa, 1 Tbsp yogurt