Double Delicious (8 page)
- 1.
Finely chop the carrots, celery, and onion by hand or in a food processor. Heat the olive oil a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables, pepper, and paprika. Cook until the vegetables soften but do not brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the rice and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until the ends of the rice turn translucent. - 2.
Add the water and broth and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and cover. Turn off the heat and let the chicken cook in the hot water until it’s no longer pink at the bone, 25 to 30 minutes. Once the chicken has cooked through, remove the meat from the bone, shred it, and return it to the pot. - 3.
Stir the purees into the soup. In a small bowl, mash the cornstarch into the cream cheese. Remove 1 cup of the soup and whisk it into the cream cheese mixture until it is smooth and all lumps are gone. Stir the soup and cream-cheese mixture back into the pot and warm through if necessary. Stir in the lemon juice just before serving.
Julian:
I could eat this every day.
Calories: 114, Carbohydrate: 10 g, Protein: 10 g, Total Fat: 4 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Sodium: 240 mg, Fiber: 1.5 g
I love Tomato Soup with grilled cheese. My children, predictably, won’t touch tomato soup. But when I add some mini turkey meatballs, they’ll eat “meatball” soup with no problem.
Shown here with Protein-Packed Grilled Cheese (recipe “Protein-Packed Grilled Cheese”).
QUICK!
Prep:
15 minutes
Total:
30 minutes
Yield:
Serves 8
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 small onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can “no salt added” whole, peeled tomatoes
- 1 cup
sweet potato puree - ½ cup
broccoli puree - 1 quart (4 cups) low-fat, reduced-sodium beef broth
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1.
Warm the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the celery, onion, and garlic. Cook until the onion softens, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sweet potato and broccoli purees, broth, bay leaf, and pepper. - 2.
Bring to a boil. Reduce to a slow simmer and cook until the soup begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Off the heat, add the cream cheese. Remove the bay leaf. Blend with an immersion or stick blender until smooth. Serve immediately.
Joy:
This soup hits the antioxidant trifecta. Tomatoes provide lycopene and vitamin C, and sweet potato is an excellent source of beta-carotene.
Calories: 130, Carbohydrate: 15 g, Protein: 4.5 g, Total Fat: 6.5 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Sodium: 285 mg, Fiber: 3.5 g
The bean spread under the melted cheese makes this a really satisfying meal. I have also served these as little appetizers, especially when my vegetarian friends come for dinner.
Photograph “Chicken and Rice Soup”.
QUICK!
Prep:
10 minutes
Total:
15 minutes
Yield:
Serves 4
BEAN SPREAD
- 1 cup low-sodium white beans, such as navy or cannellini, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup part-skim ricotta
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ clove garlic, roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1
/
8
teaspoon pepper
- 4 slices whole-wheat bread
- 8 tablespoons bean spread
- 8 tablespoons shredded part-skim mozzarella
- 1.
For the bean spread, place the beans, lemon juice, ricotta, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a mini-chopper and blend until smooth. Spread each slice of bread with 2 tablespoonfuls of the bean spread. Divide the cheese among the 4 slices and toast in a toaster oven until the cheese is golden and melted. - 2.
Store remaining dip in an airtight container. Can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Joy:
Beans are an excellent source of fiber (about 6 grams per half cup), something that most people could use more of in their diet.
Calories: 157, Carbohydrate: 20 g, Protein: 10 g, Total Fat: 4.5 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Sodium: 370 mg, Fiber: 4 g
Other Mothers Know Best!
“Necessity, who is the mother of invention…”
T
hat’s what Plato wrote more than 2,000 years ago—and it’s still true. But honestly, who deals with necessity more than mothers? When I polled my friends for their favorite ways of helping their families eat better, I was amazed at how creative and skillful their ideas were. I learned a lot, so just as before, I’ve decided to sprinkle their wisdom throughout this book. Because really, isn’t motherhood the mother of invention?
Nanette, mother of Henry (8) and Lily (10):
Whole-wheat waffles are a great source of vitamins and fiber, but my kids get bored with them. For Henry, my snowboarder, I top the waffle with a “mountain” of vanilla yogurt onto which he sprinkles a “blizzard” of coconut snow. Lily, my artist, swirls peanut butter and strawberry jam on her waffle for an inspired and delicious masterpiece!
This nondairy, sweet, and tangy soup works for everyone. I often turn it into a complete meal by dicing up chicken and serving some pasta on the side (which my kids quickly dump into the soup).
Prep:
25 minutes
Total:
1 hour
Yield:
Serves 10
- 3 shallots, peeled
- 4 stalks celery
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 cups diced, peeled, and seeded butternut squash (1 small squash, about 2 ½ pounds)
- 1½ quarts low-fat, reduced-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, preferably “no salt added”
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
TOPPING (OPTIONAL)
- 1 cup silken tofu
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1.
Slice the shallots and celery with the slicing attachment on a food processor. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and celery. Cook until the shallots begin to soften but not brown, 5 to 7 minutes. - 2.
Add the butternut squash, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. - 3.
Cover and cook until the butternut squash becomes tender and is easily mashed with the back of a metal spoon, about 45 minutes. - 4.
Puree the soup with an immersion blender, or in a standing blender or food processor in batches. - 5.
To make the topping, place the tofu, Parmesan, and salt in a mini-chopper or food processor. Whip until smooth and serve with the soup.
