Hearty soups for a new year

1/4/12 Cook's Corner
BETTY KAISER

Thank goodness the New Year is here and I can go back on my perennial diet. Honestly, I can't believe how much junk food I ate over the holidays. Candy, cake, cookies and pies—you name it and I ate it. Right now I'm as sluggish as a snail, and if I had kept going I would have turned into the female version of the Pillsbury Doughboy!

So now it's time to start eating healthy again. Out with sugar-laden pastries and in with fresh fruit. Serving sizes of meat and carbs need to be cut in half while I incorporate as many vegetables as possible into our meals. Last month, one large chicken breast would serve 1-2 people. What was I thinking? This month the same size chicken breast in a pot of soup will satisfy the hunger of four people. Hearty soups are one of my favorite things to make at the beginning of the week so I can have leftovers for the weekend. Add a crisp green salad and a serving of corn bread or crusty French bread and you've got dinner for two meals. It just takes a little planning.

Leafing through my soup recipe file I find that I gravitate to soups that have some form of tomatoes as a base: tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomatoes with green chilies and so on. I use my own canned tomatoes, so if the recipe calls for "Italian style" or green chilies, I just add the appropriate ingredients.

Another thing that I like in my soups is beans. They are great for adding texture, flavor, fiber and protein to any meal. If canned beans are on sale, I buy them. I store dried beans by combining equal amounts of different varieties in a large plastic bag: Great Northern, kidney, cannellini, pinto, lima beans and so on. Then, when I need them, I dip my measuring cup into the bag and cook the appropriate amount of dried beans in the morning before I put the soup on.

If I understand the world of bean nutrition correctly, soybeans are the superpower of the bean world, containing 29 grams of protein for every cup of cooked beans. But if you're not fond of soybeans, don't despair. According to the CDC, 1 cup of most varieties of dry beans has about 16 grams of protein. They make a fine addition to your other sources of daily protein.

Today's recipes run the gamut of soups. Using a little creativity all of them can be vegetarian. The ravioli soup will tempt even the pickiest of eaters to try it; the spices in the Moroccan soup are just exotic enough to be intriguing and if you don't eat meat, you can still enjoy the ever-popular taco soup. Just eliminate the beef.

Enjoy a healthy and happy New Year!

ITALIAN RAVIOLI SOUP

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup carrots, shredded
2 cloves garlic,
minced 1 onion, chopped
2 (14 ounce) cans vegetable broth (add extra water if needed)
1 (16 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 (14 ounce) cans Italian seasoned diced tomatoes with liquid
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1-2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
9 ounce package refrigerated cheese stuffed ravioli
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, and garlic and cook and stir until crisp tender, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients except for ravioli and cheese. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add ravioli; cook over medium high heat for 6-8 minutes until tender. Serve with cheese.
Note: Tortellini and other forms of stuffed pasta may be substituted for ravioli.

TASTY TACO GRANDE SOUP

2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
(OR 3 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons oregano, 1 teaspoon ground cumin and salt to taste)
2 cups water (add more if you like a thinner soup)
1 (15 ounce) can mild chili beans
1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 small can sliced black olives
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 (1 ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
Garnish with sour cream, cilantro , shredded cheese, chopped onions and Fritos.

In a Dutch oven or large kettle, saut'e beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink; drain well. Add taco seasoning and mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Note: This soup can be made first thing in the morning and simmered all day on low in your Crockpot.

SAVORY MOROCCAN SOUP

Women’s Health

3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 can (14.5 oz) no salt- added diced tomatoes, with juice
1 c zucchini, sliced into half circles
1/4 c canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
4 artichoke hearts, cut in half (frozen or packed in water and drained)
1/2 c whole-wheat couscous
1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 c raisins
2 scallions, thinly sliced (including green tops)
1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp cayenne 1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano

Bring stock plus 1 cup water to a rolling boil. Reduce heat, add remaining ingredients, and simmer uncovered about 7-10 minutes, or as desired. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve. Note: Your soup base will be more flavorful if you simmer it for an hour or so without the couscous; add it 10 min. before serving. Also, rice, barley or bulgur wheat may be substituted for couscous.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!

Betty Kaiser's Cook's Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes

that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.