Soups

This lighter version of this trendy favorite includes more veggies and whole grain pasta. Making extra to freeze? Simply hold off on adding the cheese until you are ready to thaw and serve.

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
½ lb. ground Italian sausage
3 T tomato paste
2 tsp Italian seasoning blend
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, no salt added
4 cups chicken or veggie stock
1 cup lasagne noodles, whole wheat, broken up (or bow-tie or macaroni)
2 cups baby spinach
½ cup shredded mozarella
6 oz. ricotta cheese (or low-fat cottage cheese)
¼ cup parmesan-Rreggiano, grated
To taste: salt and pepper

InstaPot Instructions:

1. Preheat Instapot for 1 minute, add oil, then onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add carrot and cook for another 3-5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
2. Add ground meat, stir until browned. Add garlic, cook one minute more until garlic is fragrant. Add tomato paste and seasoning blend, cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add chicken stock, diced tomatoes, and pasta.
4. Place lid on Instapot, lock and set it to pressure cook for 2 minutes on manual high (will take 12-15 minutes). Allow lid to naturally release.
5. Add spinach, stir,allow to wilt. Stir in ricotta and mozzarella cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with Parmesan. Enjoy!

Stovetop Instructions:

1. Using a large pot over med-high, follow steps 1-3 (above).
2. Add pasta and bring to a simmer until cooked (about 10 minutes).
3. Add spinach. Allow to wilt (about 3 minutes). Stir in ricotta and mozzarella cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts:

Sodium 380mg | Carbohydrates 9g | Fat 7g | Fiber 6g

Farro is a traditional Italian grain that has been a rustic staple of Mediterranean cooking for centuries. Rich in fiber and magnesium, this unassuming whole grain can now be commonly found in most American grocery stores.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T rosemary, fresh (chopped) or dried
1 T thyme, fresh (chopped) or dried
1 tsp black pepper, ground
1 each dried bay leaf
1 (15 oz) can cannellini or white beans, low-sodium, drained
1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, low-sodium, drained
1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes, no salt added
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, with liquid
3 cups vegetable broth
¾ cup farro, uncooked
1 small zucchini, cut into half-moons
2 cups dark leafy greens (kale, collard, or spinach), rough chopped
1 tsp salt (more to taste)

Instructions:

1. Gather all ingredients and cooking supplies.
2. Heat large heavy stockpot. Add oil. When oil is hot and shimmery, saute onions, carrots, and celery till softened (about 4 mins). Add garlic, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, and bay leaf. Cook for 1-2 minutes just until garlic is fragrant.
3. Add beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Add farro, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add zucchini and greens. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 155 | Sodium 330mg | Carbohydrates 28g | Fiber 10g

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen gumbo mix (PictSweet brand)
1 bag frozen seasoning blend (onions, celery, red and green pepper blend with seasoning) (PictSweet brand)
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (10 oz.) can RoTel (slightly drained)
1 can pinto beans (drained)
1 can great northern beans (drained)
1 can dark red kidney beans (drained)
Salt, cumin, basil, chili powder to taste

Instructions:

In a large pot, mix together the gumbo mix and seasoning blend over medium heat. Let simmer until the onions are glassy, stirring frequently. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Season to taste with chili powder, basil, cumin and salt. Let simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally.

This delicious chili has a surprise ingredient-pumpkin! Pumpkin is rich source of dietary fiber, vitamins and potassium. Customize this chili by adding ground chicken or beef, additional veggies or spices, and topping with cilantro, peppers, and/or sliced avocado.

Yield: ~8 (1½) cup servings

Ingredients:

1 T olive oil
1 each yellow onion, diced
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 T chili powder, ground
2 tsp cumin, ground
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup red lentils, dry
1 can (30 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (30 oz.) diced tomatoes, low-sodium
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 cups vegetable broth, low-sodium (or water)
2 cups frozen veggies (fajita veggie blend, corn, zucchini, etc…)
To taste: salt and pepper
Optional toppings: sliced avocado, plain Greek yogurt, sliced jalapeños, shredded cheese

Instructions:

1. Gather all equipment and ingredients.
2. Heat large stock pot on med-high. Add oil. Add onion, sauté until softened and translucent (about 4 minutes). Add garlic, stir for 1 minute just until fragrant, then add spice. Saute for an additional 2 minutes.
3. Add lentils, broth, beans, tomatoes, and pumpkin into onions, bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid. Cook until lentils are tender (about 25 minutes). Lentils will slowly absorb liquid as they soften and chili simmers. Add frozen veggies. Heat for 5-10 more minutes until heated through. Stir occasionally, adding additional water or broth to mixture if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 202 | Sodium 178mg | Carbohydrates 22g | Fiber 14g | Protein 12g

Mulligatawny is a mellow curry soup of Indian origin, translating roughly to “pepper water”. The addition of the signature apple to the stew might sound strange, but the result is truly savory and delicious!

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
½ lb chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into chunks
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 large carrots, cut into thin half moons
¼ cup flour, all-purpose
2 T curry powder, ground
1 tsp turmeric, ground
1 medium Granny Smith apple, chopped fine
2 each bay leaves, dried
½ cup lentils, dried
4 cups chicken stock, low-sodium
½ cup Greek yogurt, plain
To taste: salt, black pepper, and/or red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1. Gather all equipment and ingredients.
2. Heat a Dutch oven (or stock pot) over medium-high heat. Melt butter. Cook chicken in butter, browning all sides. Remove from pan.
3. Reduce heat to medium, add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, scraping up any brown bits from chicken stuck to pan.
4. Add spice mix and flour to vegetables and to cook flour and lightly toast spices till fragrant.
5. Add apples, bay leaves, lentils, and chicken stock to pot. Bring soup to a simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Stir yogurt into soup. Taste, add black pepper and salt. To add heat, add ¼ tsp of red pepper flakes.

Pumpkin soup is a great way to incorporate extra vitamins and phytochemicals into your diet. Add this soup as a side to your normal dinner or pair it with bread and salad for a tasty lunch. This recipe is quick, easy, and requires minimal clean up. The best part is – you don’t need an emulsion blender, so that’s one less step!

Ingredients:

1 (15oz) can of puréed pumpkin
3/4 cups of milk, if using plant-based milk, choose unsweetened
1 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp turmeric
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional toppings: croutons, parsley, pumpkin seeds, feta cheese

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot.
2. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, cook for 10 minutes.
3. Serve hot with optional toppings of choice.

This 30 minute meal will become a quick and delicious staple your whole family will love. Dress it up by adding in mussels, shrimp, or crab!

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 T butter
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, diced
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes (low-sodium)
2 T tomato paste
8 oz. clam juice (or shellfish stock)
½ cup dry white wine (or water)
2 lbs fish fillets (use firm white fish like cod or halibut)
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
To taste: salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Gather all equipment and ingredients.
2. Melt butter in a Dutch oven (or heavy stock pot) over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Stir in wine; cook 1 minute.
3. Add clam juice, diced tomatoes, spices, and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat, add fish and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until fish flakes. Discard bay leaf. Add parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Facts:

Sodium 380mg | Carbohydrates 9g | Fat 5g | Fiber 2g

This chunky vegetarian chili is not only a rich source of folate and dietary fiber, it is also unbelievably warm and comforting! Serve piping-hot with cornbread and your favorite chili toppings for a hearty meal.

Yield: ~8 (1½) cup servings

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
2 each sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” cubes
2 each red or green bell peppers, cored and diced
1 each yellow onion, medium dice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (30 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (30 oz.) diced tomatoes, low-sodium
2 cups tomato sauce, no-salt added
1 each jalapeño, seeded (if desired) and finely diced
1 tsp. cumin, ground
1 T chili powder, ground
To taste: salt and pepper
Optional toppings: sliced avocado, plain Greek yogurt, sliced jalapeños, shredded cheese

Instructions:

1. Gather all equipment and ingredients.
2. Heat large stock pot on med-high. Add oil. Add onion, sauté until fragrant and translucent (about 3-4 minutes). Add sweet potatoes, stirring occasionally, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add peppers and garlic. Saute for about 5-10 additional minutes, or until mixture is fragrant and potatoes are fork tender.
3. Stir black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, jalapeno, cumin, and chili powder into sweet potato mixture, bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, stirring occasionally until chili is heated through. Season chili with salt and pepper and serve warm.