Soup

Ahh soup, the ultimate meal in my opinion. Last week I had the flu, hence no updates. What am I Super Woman? So now that I'm on the mend and in need of some replenishing, soup fits the bill to a T providing healthy vegetables & lots of fluids. Last night I made the chicken noodle. Here are a few of my favorite soup recipes.

Minestrone

1/4 cup oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup diced carrots
3/4 cup zucchini, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
8 cups veggie or chicken broth
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. basil
1/2 cup uncooked macaroni (I precook to make it ready faster when I'm in a hurry)
16 oz. can chopped tomatoes (I also add tomato paste as well - I love tomatoes!)
16 oz. can beans (kidney beans, navy beans are best)
10 oz. package frozen spinach

Saute onions, celery, carrots, zucchini, mushrooms and garlic in oil for 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, oregano, thyme and basil. Bring to boil an simmer for 5 minutes. Add macaroni and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Add tomatoes, beans, spinach and veggies and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Allow soup to stand 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and Italian bread.

Chicken Noodle Soup

4 carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 medium or 1 small onion, diced
4 cups water
4-5 tsp bullion
3 cups diced, uncooked chicken breasts
2 tsp parsley
2 cups desired noodles
minced garlic, optional
salt and pepper

In a medium, saute onion, carrots, and celery until almost cooked through. Add the bullion and water and bring to a boil adding the chicken and noodles. Follow the directions on the package of noodles to determine how long to boil the soup. Add the garlic the last few minutes of cooking. Sprinkle with parsley, salt and pepper to your desired taste.

Beef and Barley Soup

4 cups water
2 beef bullion cubes
1 medium potato, cubed
1 medium onion, cubed
2 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried garlic powder
1/2 pound boneless beef cut into cubes
1 cup quick cooking barley
cracked pepper to taste
3/4 cup peas

In large pot add water, beef bullion cubes (dissolved in a small amount of the water, heated in separate cup), and all the ingredients except the barley. Cook approximately 30 minutes at a minimum heat, or until meat is fully cooked and potatoes are soft. Add the quick cooking barley and cook another 15 minutes. Before serving, add peas. Serve hot. Add salt to taste. A very easy shortcut would be to use beef stock instead of making your own. Omit water and bullion in this situation.