Hot & Sour Soup (5 P+)

Hot and sour soup is comfort food for me.  When I was a newlywed we would order Chinese food every Thursday night from a little hole-in-the-wall up the street, and their hot and sour soup was my favorite part of the meal.  When I get sick I crave the taste of that tangy, spicy soup full of weird looking veggies and tofu.  I wasn't sick last night, but I really had no energy and no desire to cook.  Unfortunately there is only one decent Chinese restaurant in town, and their hot and sour soup is tolerable at best.  I've tried making several variations, and none of them have perfectly duplicated my memory of the my hole-in-the-wall, but this is the closest I've come so far.  I serve it with chicken egg rolls.  (Chung's makes mini chicken egg rolls that are pretty good and are relatively low in WW points).  Give it a try next time you want something a little different.

5-6 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced

6 cups chicken broth

3 Tbsp soy sauce

1 1/2 Tbsp chili-garlic sauce

4 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 1/2 Tsp toasted sesame oil

1 (14 oz) package firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes

1 (8 oz) can bamboo shoot, thinly sliced

4 Tbsp cornstarch

4 1/2 Tbsp water

2 egg whites, lightly beaten with 2 Tbsp water

In a medium pot combine the broth, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.  Bring to a boil.  Meanwhile, in a small skillet, cook the mushrooms over medium-high heat until they release their juices.  Once the soup boils add the mushrooms, tofu, and bamboo shoots.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Combine the cornstarch and water.  Stir in 1/4 cup of the hot soup broth, and then stir the entire mixture into the pot.  Bring back to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 1-2 minutes until the soup thickens.  

Remove from the heat and slowly add the egg/water mixture while stirring in a circular motion to create ribbons.  Serve immediately.

For a lighter version (2 P+) use half the tofu and just one egg white.

Serves 4

1 serving = 5 WW Points+
Adapted from the Weight Watchers Take Out Tonight cookbook

Parmesan Tomato-Basil Soup

This is not healthy.  It is dangerous and sinful.  I make no apologies. 

Ingredients
1 tsp oil (canola, olive, whatever)
4 cloves garlic, pressed
2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp white sugar
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
15-20 leaves thinly sliced fresh basil (about 1/4 cup, a generous handful)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 Tbsp butter

Directions
Saute the garlic in the oil for a minute or two until it sizzles and smells amazing.  Pour in the tomatoes and broth.  Add the sugar, bring to a simmer and cook covered for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the cheese and stir until melted.  Add the basil, cream, and butter.  Cook on low until the butter is melted.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Eat.  Let your eyes roll back in your head.  Because it's just that good.

Tips:  Set the cream on the counter and let it come to room temperature while the tomatoes/broth are cooking.  To thinly slice the basil, stack the leaves on top of each other, roll them up lengthwise, and slice.  It's called a chiffonade.

Broccoli-Cheese Soup (5 P+)

I found this recipe while I cleaning out some old files, and I can't believe I forgot about it for so long.  It's simple and reasonably healthy considering there's no butter or heavy cream like most cream-based soups.  Serve it with a baguette or a baked potato.  Yum!

NOTE:  I am not a professional food photographer.  I am, in fact, a very amateur food photographer.  Feel free to laugh at my pitiful attempt to capture soup in a bowl in a dark kitchen.  Thank you!

Ingredients:
3/4 pound broccoli, cut into small florets
1 small carrot, peeled and shredded
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup half-and-half
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Bring chicken broth to a boil and add broccoli and carrot.  Cook on a low boil for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until the broccoli is tender and begins to fall apart.  Whisk the flour into the water and add to the boiling broth, stirring constantly until the soup thickens.  Turn the heat to low and stir in the half-and-half and cheese.  Cook until the cheese melts.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 4
5 WW Points+ per serving

Berry Blast Smoothie (6 P+)

I have a problem. My problem is smoothies. Let me tell you how much I love smoothies. I could drink a smoothie for breakfast and lunch everyday and probably have a little pre-dinner smoothie snack. It has recently come to my attention, however, that (aside from being pretty darn expensive) most smoothies are deceptively unhealthy. Which is why I have a problem.

The basic source of my information is the Eat This, Not That series. Have you checked these guys out? The books and website are full of wonderful information. Be warned - some of it will scare you absolutely to death when you realize what you've been ignorantly shoving into your mouth. Once I read about the high probability that my beloved smoothies were no better than regular fast food I did some research on my own. And, sure enough, check out what I found.

According to WebMD, A 20-ounce serving of Smoothie King’s The Hulk-Strawberry has more calories than a Burger King Double Cheeseburger with a medium order of French fries.

Or what about the Grape Expectations at Smoothie King? Men's Health magazine says, "with more than half the calories you need in a day and the sugar equivalent of 12 Haagen Dasz ice cream bars, this "drink" should be renamed "diabetes in a glass"."

And check out this article from Women's Health that details the 14 worst "healthy" smoothies.

This is more than enough information, in my opinion, to motivate a person to explore other options.

Most smoothie shops have smarter choices that can cut down on the sugar and fat, but how many of us actually choose those options? And when you look at the financial aspect it just doesn't make sense to spend money on something that can easily be made at home for a fraction of the cost.

This morning I made a Berry Blast Smoothie.

1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1 tsp honey

It took all of 2 minutes to dump everything in a blender, puree, pour into a cup, and run out the door. It was same number of WW points as a comparably sized Jamba Juice Light smoothie, and it was just as good.

And financially? I spent $1.50 on milk, $3.20 on yogurt, and $8.50 on a huge bag of berries. That totals $13.20 and will make at least eight smoothies. To buy a small 16oz Jamba Juice Light smoothie costs about $3.00 making the total cost for eight smoothies $24 plus tax. I saved 45% by making my own.

If this post has you thinking I encourage you to check out this article as a starting point. The more I read the more I become convicted that Americans have the worst dietary habits on the planet, and I think poor education is a big part of the problem. I challenge you to do some research and learn how to read food labels. It can be a very eye opening experience!