chapter three
souper douper

soups
grab a spoon. and no slurping, please . . .

Soup is awesome. It tastes great, fills you up, and is easy to make. What more could you ask for? Oh, it also helps you cut calories. Studies show that people who eat broth-based soups regularly end up taking in fewer calories throughout the day (it's true!). These soup recipes are all easy to make, really delicious, and low in calories. Keep some in the fridge—they're great to have around for a snack or meal-starter. HG Tip: If you're a sodium-counter, you may want to use low-sodium versions of broths and canned items when making these soups.

freakishly good french onion soup

Ingredients

1 cup fat-free beef broth

¼ cup thinly sliced onions

½ slice light bread (40 to 45 calories each with about 2g fiber per slice)

1 slice reduced-fat provolone cheese

Directions

Toast bread and set aside. Combine onions and broth in a small saucepan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

Pour soup into a microwave-safe soup bowl. Place toasted bread on top of soup and then cover with cheese. Place bowl in the microwave and heat for about 30 seconds or until cheese melts and begins to bubble.

MAKES 1 SERVING

perfect plum tomato cabbage soup

I am obsessed with this soup! The best way to enjoy it is with Splenda and Frank's RedHot.

Ingredients

4 cups fat-free vegetable broth

6 plum tomatoes, chopped

2 cups chopped green cabbage

Optional: salt, black pepper, garlic salt, Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce, Tabasco Pepper Sauce

Directions

Place chopped tomatoes (along with any juice and seeds) in a large pot sprayed with nonstick spray. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add broth and cabbage and raise heat to high. Once soup reaches a boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Allow soup to simmer for 5 minutes.

Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and/or any of the other optional ingredients, if desired.

MAKES 5 SERVINGS

egg flower power soup

Ingredients

4 cups fat-free broth (vegetable, chicken, or beef)

½ cup egg whites (about 4 egg whites)

1 small carrot

1 small zucchini

½ medium red bell pepper

3 medium scallions, chopped

1 tablespoon light or low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Optional: salt, black pepper, 4 lemon wedges

Directions

Pour egg whites into a container with a spout (like a measuring cup). Stir briefly to eliminate any lumps and then set aside.

Cut all veggies into matchstick-sized strips (use a vegetable shredder if you have one). Combine broth, carrots, zucchini, peppers, soy sauce, and lemon juice in a medium pot. Bring to a boil.

Once soup has reached a boil, reduce to medium heat (a low boil) and add scallions. Cook for about 5 minutes, until veggies are limp.

Next, reduce heat to the lowest setting. Very slowly pour in egg whites while very quickly stirring in one direction. Remove soup from heat immediately. The result will be gorgeous bursts of egg bits in your soup!

If you like, season to taste with salt and black pepper, then serve with lemon wedges.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Soup It Up!

Nutritional information based on averages.

sassy salsa pumpkin soup

This recipe was inspired by a Hungry Girl subscriber named Jacqueline. IT ROCKS!!!!!

Ingredients

4 cups fat-free broth (chicken or vegetable)

One 15-ounce can pure pumpkin

One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup canned sweet corn kernels

¾ cup salsa

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Optional toppings: shredded fat-free or low-fat cheese, fat-free sour cream, chopped scallions

Directions

Spray a medium pot with nonstick spray and bring to medium heat on the stove. Place garlic in the pot. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and spices, and bring to a simmer.

Add pumpkin and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients, stir, and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

If you like, top each cup with any of the optional ingredients before serving.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

spicy tomato soup

Ingredients

4 cups chopped plum tomatoes

2 cups V8 100% Vegetable Juice

4 teaspoons fat-free powdered non-dairy creamer

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

Cook tomatoes in a large pot over medium heat for 5 minutes or until very soft, stirring occasionally. Remove tomatoes from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Transfer tomatoes to a food processor or blender. Pulse briefly to a pulpy puree. Return tomatoes to the pot and add all additional ingredients.

Stir well and continuously while bringing soup to a near boil. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

v10 soup

Warning: This soup is jam-packed with an INSANE amount of veggies!!!

Ingredients

4 cups fat-free vegetable broth

2 cups chopped green cabbage

1¼ cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 cup bean sprouts

cup frozen green beans

1 medium zucchini, diced

2 plum tomatoes, diced

¾ cup sliced carrots

½ cup diced onions

5 asparagus spears, chopped

1½ tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon basil

¼ teaspoon oregano

¼ teaspoon parsley

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

Spray a large pot with nonstick spray. Cook tomatoes, carrots, onions, asparagus, and garlic over low heat for about 5 minutes.

Raise heat to high, add all other ingredients, and stir. Once soup reaches a full boil, lower the heat until soup is just simmering.

Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until the beans and celery are tender.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

At-a-Glance Soup Glossary

Know what you're getting yourself into . . .

Bisque: A thick cream soup—can be a dieter's nightmare.

Bouillon: This is just a fancy French word for broth. Broth-based soups are your best bet.

Chowder: Rich (not in a good way) and packed with items like potatoes, cheese, and heavy cream. Chowder is filling, but usually fattening. There are light options that are so good you'd swear they're the real deal!

Consommé: A clear soup made by boiling meat, vegetables, etc., to extract their nutritive properties and flavor. A thicker version of a broth, consommé is often relatively low in fat and calories.

Cream Of: Soups with a fatty cream-based liquid as the main ingredient. Beware! Look for low-fat versions to get your creamy fix.

Miso: Japanese soup/soup base that's low in calories and high in taste.

noodled-up chicken soup

This soup is as good as Grandma's chicken noodle soup—and it has a tiny fraction of the calories!

Ingredients

4 cups fat-free chicken broth

12 ounces raw skinless boneless lean chicken breast

2 packages House Foods Tofu Shirataki, Fettuccine Shape

1 cup diced celery

cup diced mushrooms

cup diced carrots

¼ cup diced onions

2 teaspoons parsley, divided

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

Fill a large pot with 8 cups of water. Add chicken breast, garlic powder, and half of the parsley. Set stove to medium-high heat and cook for 20 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, rinse and drain the shirataki noodles, and pat until thoroughly dry. Cut the noodles into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

Once chicken is fully cooked, pour the contents of the pot into a colander so only the chicken remains. Using two forks shred the chicken into small pieces.

Place all remaining ingredients in the pot, along with the noodles and chicken, and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat and allow the soup to sit for at least 5 minutes.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

CHEW ON THIS:

kickin' chicken tortilla soup

Heads Up! This one is super-spicy!

Ingredients

3 cups fat-free chicken broth

4 ounces cooked lean skinless boneless chicken breast, shredded

1 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained

½ cup canned sweet corn kernels

½ cup chopped onions

1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño peppers

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon fajita seasoning mix

1 teaspoon minced garlic

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon chili powder

6 baked tortilla chips, crushed

Optional toppings: cilantro, fat-free sour cream, fat-free or low-fat shredded cheese

Directions

In a medium pot sprayed with nonstick spray, cook onions, garlic, seasoning, and spices over medium heat until onions soften, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the corn and diced tomatoes, and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

Add chicken, jalapeño, and lime juice. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes to thoroughly blend flavors.

Once ready to serve, top each serving with crushed chips and, if desired, cilantro, sour cream and/or cheese.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Nutritional information based on averages for 1-cup servings.

rockin' roasted shrimp & asparagus corn chowder

This could possibly be one of the best-tasting soups of all time!

Ingredients

4 cups fat-free broth (chicken or vegetable)

12 ounces raw peeled and deveined shrimp, tails removed

20 large asparagus spears

2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

1 medium russet potato, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 cup canned sweet corn kernels

1 cup evaporated fat-free milk

¾ cup chopped scallions

1 teaspoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon thyme

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Take asparagus spears in both hands and snap in half. Discard the tough ends. Place asparagus spears and raw shrimp on a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray.

Spritz shrimp and asparagus with a light mist of nonstick spray and place pan in the oven for about 6 minutes, until shrimp are opaque and cooked through.

Remove shrimp from the pan and set aside. Flip asparagus over and cook for an additional 6 minutes.

Remove asparagus from the oven and cut asparagus and shrimp into bite-sized pieces.

In a large pot sprayed with nonstick spray, cook bell peppers, scallions, corn, and garlic over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add broth and potato and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes or until potato begins to soften.

Add milk, shrimp, asparagus, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Stir and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

hot & sour soup

Ingredients

3 cups fat-free chicken broth

14 ounces medium-firm tofu, drained and cut into ¼-inch strips

One 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained and diced

2 cups whole mushrooms

½ cup chopped scallions

¼ cup egg whites (about 2 egg whites)

¼ cup rice vinegar

1½ tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon light or low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon hot chili paste

½ teaspoon black pepper

Optional: additional hot chili paste

Directions

Place mushrooms in a medium bowl and cover them with hot water. Cover the bowl and let stand for 10 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender.

Drain the water from the bowl, dice mushrooms, and set aside.

In a large pot, combine broth with garlic and ¼ cup of water. Bring to a boil. Add mushrooms and water chestnuts, and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 5 minutes.

Add tofu, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Combine cornstarch with ¼ cup of cold water and stir well, until cornstarch dissolves. Add cornstarch mixture to the broth mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until thickened, stirring frequently.

Slowly pour egg whites into broth mixture in a steady stream, stirring constantly but gently with a spoon.

Remove from heat and stir in scallions, sesame oil, and chili paste. For super-spicy soup, add more chili paste to taste.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

CHEW ON THIS:

kazu's special eggplant & shrimp soup

This soup was created by my friend Kazu (the greatest sushi chef on the planet). He serves it at his restaurant in Studio City, California. After eating this soup several times a week for years, I decided it was too delicious to NOT tell the world about it, and I convinced Kazu to share his secret recipe with me. Here it is. Some of the ingredients are a bit hard to find, but PLEASE FIND THEM, AND MAKE THIS SOUP SOON!!!

Ingredients

5 ounces cooked cocktail (medium-small) shrimp

½ cup udon noodle soup base concentrate (found at Japanese markets)

2 cups peeled and cubed eggplant (1-inch cubes), use Japanese eggplant if available

1 fresh Anaheim or banana pepper, deseeded and chopped

1 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped

Directions

In a medium pot, combine soup base with 3½ cups of water and bring to a boil.

Add all the veggies, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Then add the shrimp to the soup. Cook for another 2 minutes or until shrimp are thoroughly heated.

MAKES 5 SERVINGS

southwestern surprise

Not to sound like a cheesy commercial, but this soup is so thick, it "eats like a meal." It's almost too easy to prepare a super-sized batch, and it tastes even better the next day! (HG Tip: Freeze leftovers in individual servings for microwavable, super-filling, guilt-free snacks!)

Ingredients

4 ounces cooked extra-lean ground beef, drained

One 16-ounce package frozen sweet corn kernels

Two 15-ounce cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

Three 14.5-ounce cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes

One 14.5-ounce can Italian-style diced tomatoes

1 envelope taco seasoning mix

1 envelope ranch dip/dressing mix

¼ cup minced onions

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

Pour the tomatoes and corn into a large pot. Add remaining ingredients and stir thoroughly. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow soup to sit for at least 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS