Chunky Tomato Soup with Sweet Corn and Crispy Shallots
Canned tomatoes are a soup-makers dream. In this recipe, caramelized shallots and pre-roasted garlic (sold in the produce section of most grocery stores, right next to the pre-chopped, jarred varieties) add the depth of flavor you get from long-simmered soups. I like to serve this soup with a chunk of Ciabatta.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
1 cup thinly sliced shallots
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup frozen sweet corn (white corn or white and yellow corn blend), keep frozen until ready to use
1 tablespoon chopped roasted garlic
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Spread the shallots out on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss the shallots to coat with the oil. Roast for 10 minutes, until the shallots are golden brown and crisp.
Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, broth, corn and roasted garlic in a large saucepan and set the pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the shallots.
Serves 4
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 194, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Carbohydrate: 33g, Protein: 7g, Fiber: 5g, Sodium: 738mg
Broccoli Soup with Ginger and Cream
This soup not only celebrates fresh broccoli, it marries the pungent taste of fresh ginger with rich cream, a match made in soup-pot heaven. For a chunkier soup, remove some of the broccoli florets before you puree the soup and then add them back in when you add the cream.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds broccoli florets (about 2-3 broccoli crowns)
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Combine the broth, broccoli and ginger in a large saucepan and set the pan over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, until the broccoli is tender. Puree with an immersion blender or regular blender (when using a regular blender, work in batches to prevent spillover). Stir in the cream, decrease the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes to heat through. Remove from heat and stir in the chives. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serves 4
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 300, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 87mg, Carbohydrate: 13g, Protein: 11g, Fiber: 5g, Sodium: 230mg
Yellow Gazpacho with Fresh Basil
Gazpacho is a refreshing warm-weather soup that’s super easy to throw together. This version is yellow thanks to yellow cherry tomatoes but you can certainly make the traditional red version with red cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes or ripe beefsteak tomatoes (just make sure the beefsteak tomatoes are vine-ripened so they boast their true sweetness). We're going to hit 100 for the first time this week so I'll be sure to have this on hand.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooling time: 30 minutes
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
3 cups diced yellow cherry tomatoes
1 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced white onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes (and up to 24 hours). Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.
Serves 4
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 60, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Carbohydrate: 8g, Protein: 4g, Fiber: 2g, Sodium: 151mg