Healthy Salmon Soup with your Blender

I really enjoy eating a blended salmon soup.  It's really quick and easy to make yourself a healthy soup.  Here's what to do:


Put 1/2-3/4 cup of water in a saucepan.  Cook a vegetable in the water....some choices are summer squash, zucchini, spinach, kale, collard greens, butternut squash.  Cook until greens are wilted or veggies are soft. (You'll want 3 large handfuls of greens or a whole summer squash.  You'll need less of a winter squash.  Just eyeball it.)

Meanwhile in a blender add:

between 1 tsp. and 1 T. of oil (coconut or olive)
up to 1 T. tomato paste (I open a can and freeze it like this)
seasonings to taste-salt, pepper, nutritional yeast
choose a flavor profile...italian seasoning or curry for instance
if you like it spicy add some cayenne or red pepper flake

When the greens or squash are cooked add them to the blender and pulse for slightly chunky consistency.  (I use a towel to cover the blender to protect myself from hot liquids.)

Pour into soup bowl and add a packet of salmon (I get mine at Walmart by the tuna-fish.)

Optionally you can add about 1/2 cup of quinoa or brown rice.

Enjoy!

(If you don't like to use the packet salmon you can cook a thawed salmon fillet with your vegetables.  I find they are sometimes fishy, so I prefer the packets.)

My favorite version

Summer squash, 1 T. EVOO, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, oregano, packet of salmon and 1/2 cup quinoa.

Creamy Vegetable Soup

When I joined Weight Watchers, I received a booklet with a 0 points plus vegetable soup.  Recently I started making it "my own". I call it Creamy Vegetable soup.  You can make this "your own" by using veggies you like.

Chop a small onion and 2 carrots, saute in a non-stick pan.  Add 1/2 a head of chopped cabbage and a clove or two of garlic.   After the carrots and onions start to soften, add a carton of chicken broth, a large can of crushed tomatoes, a small can of diced tomatoes, about a cup of frozen spinach (or fresh if you have it).  I sometimes add some kale too.  Then add a diced zucchini.  Season with 1 tsp. basil, 1/2 tsp. each oregano and salt...(or whatever you like)
Simmer for about 20 minutes covered.

Now my favorite part. I put some soup in a Magic Bullet with 1 wedge of Light Laughing Cow cheese.  I like to use Queso Fresco and Chipotle. YUM! (You could just use regular cream cheese or nothing at all if you prefer.)

 I usually add more soup to the puree so I have chunks of veggies in my creamy soup.  I count this as 1 point plus.

The puree is kind of green but it IS yummy.

Of course you can just eat the soup as is, no need to puree.  This soup carried me through the entire summer and now through the winter because it's low (or 0) points and filling.

Link up to this week's Try a New Recipe at Home to 4 Kiddos

BLT in a Bowl

I had mentioned in a previous post that I think half the battle of losing weight is figuring out what to eat.  I plan to share some of my favorite recipes and quick fixes that I have used while losing 50 lbs (so far).

This is a recipe I've had for quite a while, but sort of forgot about it until Rob mentioned it the other day.   It comes from the Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers: Improving the Way Your Family Eats One Meal at a Time. Honestly, my kids prefer just the plain soup so I made them plain tomato soup. (Yes, from a can.)

I really had forgotten how good this was until we had it tonight. It's super fast and only 260 calories in about a 2 cup serving.  (It made 8 cups and it serves 4 but I used 1 large can of soup instead of the 2 smaller cans and that makes for a little extra soup.)


B.L.T. in a Bowl


Two 10 oz cans less-sodium tomato soup (I just used the regular.)
2 cans water
6 to 8 oz. frozen cheese tortellini
one 6-oz. bag pre-washed baby spinach (about 4 packed cups)
4 tsp. real bacon bits (I bought some turkey bacon bits.)
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese, optional


Pour tomato soup and water into large saucepan and stir to combine.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Add the tortellini and cook, uncovered, according to package directions, stirring frequently. Do not drain.  Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.  Serve in individual bowls and top with bacon bits and Parmesan cheese as desired.

printable version

I highly recommend this soup and The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers.  You'll find more recipes here.You might want to check the book out of the library first to see if you like it or better yet head over to their website. (or purchase it at Amazon.) They have a new book out, No Whine With Dinner that I haven't had a chance to look through but I'm going to see if it's at the library.