As far as I am concerned, cream of asparagus is like a slice of heaven. It is mild and creamy and very satisfying! Take advantage of asparagus season to make this for a frugal price. Here is what you are going to need for this:

Serves four

2 pounds fresh asparagus – tips removed, bottoms trimmed
1 white onion – chopped
1 TBS butter
6 cups chicken or low sodium vegetable stock
Pinch of nutmeg
½ cup whole milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white pepper

Cut the stalks of the asparagus in thirds. Place the tips in a steamer and steam until tender. Set them aside for garnishing your soup.

Melt the butter in a pot and add the onion. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the cut asparagus and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the stock. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the asparagus is cooked through and tender.

If you have an immersion blender, use it now and blend the soup until creamy. If you do not, wait for the soup to cool down and blend it. Hot liquids can explode through the blender lid so be careful when dealing with them.

Return the soup to the pot and add the nutmeg and cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat soup through and serve garnished with the steamed tips. Enjoy!

CALORIES 162.86; FAT 5.065 grs (sat 3.34; mono 1.06; poly 0.26); PROTEIN 12.73 grs; FIBER 5.92 grs; CARBS 20.22 grs; CHOLESTEROL 18.88 mg; IRON 5.23 mg; SODIUM 821.70 mg; CALCIUM 108.91 mg

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This soup is absolutely delicious and healthy. It is virtually fat-free and is loaded in nutrients. Here is what you need for this:

Serves eight
3 cups raw lentils – thoroughly rinsed
1 tsp. salt
8 cups water
2 TBS olive oil
1 small white onion – coarsely chopped
½ a bell pepper – chopped
2 celery stalks – chopped
2 garlic cloves – minced
1 chili pepper – membrane and seeds removed – chopped (optional)
2 carrots – peeled and diced
½ TBS dry oregano
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
3 small tomatoes – peeled and chopped
½ TBS honey
1 TBS Balsamic vinegar
1 TBS lemon juice
Salt & Pepper

Place the lentils, salt and water in a large pot and simmer for about 1 ½ hours. Add more water if necessary.

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, chili pepper and carrots. Sauté for about 5 to 6 minutes until vegetables are softened. Add the vegetables to the lentils. Add the oregano, cumin and paprika. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for another 45 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, honey, vinegar and lemon juice. Mix well. Simmer for an extra 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy with crusty bread. You can garnish with chopped parsley and chopped green scallions.

CALORIES 246.75; FAT 0.9 grs (sat 0.13; mono 0.13; poly 0.38); PROTEIN 15.92 grs ; FIBER 8.06 grs; CARBS 44.79 grs; CHOLESTEROL 0.00 mg; IRON 4.96 mg; SODIUM 604.69 mg; CALCIUM 64.67 mg

Print the Lentil Soup Recipe Here

This soup combines the silky flavors of pears with butternut squash. It is fantastic as an appetizer before a large meal or to comfort you on any cold day. Here is what you need for this:

I large butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and quartered
1 leek, white and light green parts, chopped – wash very well
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon ground sage
½ teaspoon thyme
6 cups water
1 cup half & half
Butter
Salt

• Melt some butter in a large, heavy pot. Add the squash, leeks and pears.
• Sauté your vegetables and fruit for 15 to 20 minutes, until starting to brown. Stir occasionally.
• Add the ginger and mix well. Cook for about 1 minute until you can smell the ginger.
• Add the sage and thyme. Mix well.
• Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until squash is soft.
• If you have a hand held blender, go ahead and blend your soup. If you do not have a hand held device, cool the soup a bit and blend it in batches – be careful not to fill the glass too much as you might have little, messy explosions if the soup is still warm.
• Add the half and half and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and heat through. Do not boil the cream!
• Serve and enjoy!

Print the Cream of Butternut Squash Recipe Here

Here’s a smooth, silky cream that can be made as a week day meal or as an appetizer when entertaining. It is smooth, silky, elegant and delicious! However you decide to use it, I promise you will love it! Here is what you are going to need for this beautiful soup:

3 leeks – white and light green parts sliced
6 small red potatoes – peeled and chopped
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth – or water
½ tsp. sugar
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ cup heavy cream
Salt & Pepper
2 TBS Butter
Parsley and chives – chopped

• Wash the leeks very well – rinsing them off 4 or 5 times until all the dirt is removed.
• Melt butter in a pot and add leeks. Cook for about 5 minutes until leeks are softened.
• Add the sugar to the leeks and mix well.
• Add the potatoes and the liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Bring pot to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes – until potatoes are cooked through.
• Cool soup a little and blend into a smooth cream.
• Return to pot and add nutmeg and cream. Mix well.
• Heat through and serve.
• Garnish with chopped parsley and chive.
• Enjoy!

Print the Potato Leek Soup Recipe Here

This recipe yielded enough meatballs for 2 meals. I made this soup and will use the rest for meatball and marinara sauce subs. This soup is quite easy to make and is delicious. Although it’s name suggests it, this soup is not Italian. It is an American creation that is quite popular. Here is what you need to do for this great soup:

FOR THE MEATBALLS:
½ pound ground beef or ground chicken
½ pound Italian sausage or chicken sausage
1/3 cup bread crumbs
3 garlic cloves – minced
1 egg – lightly beaten
2 TBS heavy cream
3 TBS finely chopped parsley
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 TBS grated yellow onion
2 tsp. coarse salt
2 tsp. black pepper

Place all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and make meat balls – about 1 inch in size. Place meatballs on a lined baking sheet. You should get at least 48. Calculate 6 meatballs per person and bake them. Freeze the rest for future use.
Heat an oven at 350 degrees. Place the meatballs into the oven and bake for about 30 minutes – until meatballs are cooked through and browned.
FOR THE SOUP:
2 TBS olive oil
1 small yellow onion – finely chopped
2 celery stalks – chopped
1 large carrot – diced
6 cups chicken broth
½ cup dry white wine
¾ cups small pasta – any kind will do as long as it is tiny (orzo, pearls, shells, etc)
1 cup torn spinach leaves

Add the olive oil to a large pot. Heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots. Sauté for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened.

Add the chicken stock and white wine. If you do not like cooking with wine go ahead and skip it. Bring the soup to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add the pasta and cook for about 6 to 7 minutes. You want the pasta to be al-dente. When the pasta is cooked, add about 24 of the cooked meatballs. Add black pepper and stir.

Add the spinach leaves. All you want is for them to wilt. Serve and enjoy with some crusty bread.

Print the Italian Wedding Soup Recipe Here

Vegetable soup is loaded in nutrients and quite easy to make. Here is a step-by-step video on how to make this very healthy meal. Feel free to use any vegetables you prefer. This is what you need to do for this:

1 medium white onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBS chopped cilantro
1 TBS chopped parsley
Veggies
1 ½ TBS white rice
6 cups water, vegetable broth or chicken broth
Salt & Pepper
Dried herbs of choice (oregano, basil, marjoram, thyme)-optional

· Heat a pan with some olive oil. Add all of the above ingredients and sauté for a few minutes, until onion starts browning lightly.
· Add any of the following veggies: cubed butternut squash, sliced green beans, diced potatoes, sliced cabbage, sliced carrots, peas, corn, sliced
okra, diced bell peppers, cauliflower florets, broccoli florets or any other vegetable you desire. Sauté for a few minutes.
· Add rice and liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Add your herb of choice, if any.
· Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes until veggies and rice are cooked through.
· Ladle into bowls. Garnish with finely chopped parsley.

Print the Vegetable Soup Recipe Here

Shrimp bisque is an elegant, inexpensive and easy soup that can be served for special occasions or anytime! Here is what you need for this wonderful soup:

Serves six

1 pound shrimp – peeled and deveined (save the peels)
4 cups water + plus more to top off stock
1 small white onion – peeled and quartered
3 garlic cloves – coarsely chopped
1 small celery stalk with leaves
1 small onion – peeled and quartered
2 leeks – chopped up to the light green part – thoroughly washed
4 garlic cloves – minced
¼ cup sherry
¼ cup dry white wine
4 TBS butter
4 TBS flour
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 heaping TBS of tomato paste
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
3 TBS olive oil
Chopped parsley for garnish – optional

Place the shrimp peels in a pot with a TBS of olive oil. Sauté until peels turn pink. Add 4 cups water, celery, onion, garlic and carrot. Simmer for 45 minutes. Strain stock and add enough water to make 4 cups. Set aside.

Add 2 TBS olive oil to pan. Add the leeks and cook for about 10 minutes until softened but not browned. Stir occasionally. Add the garlic and mix well. Cook for about a minute until fragrant. Add the shrimp and ¼ cup sherry. Cook for 1 couple of minutes. Add the white wine and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until shrimp is cooked through.

Place shrimp and leeks in a food processor and puree until coarse. Set aside.

Add butter to the pot and melt. Add the flour and whisk constantly for 2 to 3 minutes – until flour is cooked. Do not worry if you have some lumps. They will disappear when you add the milk and cream. Add the milk and cream and whisk constantly until you have a smooth, thickened sauce.

Add the shrimp stock, processed shrimp and tomato paste. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until heated through. Do not boil soup.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Serve and enjoy!

CALORIES 416.96; FAT 33.15 grs (sat 16.02; mono 13.01; poly 1.98); PROTEIN 16.53 grs ; FIBER 1.02 grs; CARBS 14.32 grs; CHOLESTEROL 175.76 mg; IRON 1.43 mg; SODIUM 1358.95 mg; CALCIUM 146.53 mg

Print the Shrimp Bisque Recipe Here

This soup is always so comforting and it is pretty economical to make. You need to make sure you have a good beef stock for the base and you also need to let your onions caramelize well in order to be completely successful. Allow yourself the proper time for this so your soup is excellent! Here is what you are going to need:

Serves six

6 large white onions – thinly sliced
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 TBS sugar
2 garlic cloves – minced
8 cups beef stock
1/2 cup red wine
1 TBS fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp. dried
2 bay leaves
4 toasted pieces of baguette
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Salt & Pepper

Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onion and start caramelizing – stirring occasionally. Cook for 15 minutes and add the sugar. Mix well and continue cooking until onions are deep amber but not burned – about 40 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the stock, wine, thyme and bay leaves. Season to with salt and pepper – to taste.

Bring soup to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Ladle soup into oven proof bowls. Top with baguette and shredded cheese. Place the soup under the broiler and melt and brown the cheese. Serve and enjoy!

CALORIES 373.06; FAT 17.65 grs (sat 10.18; mono 4.75; poly 1.03); PROTEIN 15.86 grs ; FIBER 3.22 grs; CARBS 37.94 grs; CHOLESTEROL 46.14 mg; IRON 1.98 mg; SODIUM 274.70 mg; CALCIUM 277.37 mg

Print the French Onion Soup Recipe Here

Beef stock is made from roasting beef bones – including neck, back and knuckles – and is used as a base for soups, sauces and stews. It is ideally dark brown and concentrated. Here is how I make mine. I never salt it until I add it to a specific recipe. A good stock requires hours of simmering but is well worth the time as it will make a huge difference in any recipe.

6 meaty soup bones or short beef ribs – completely thawed
1 small white onion
4 garlic cloves – smashed
4 bay leaves
1 small carrot – peeled
1 large celery stalk
10 cups water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash the bones thoroughly to get rid of blood and impurities.

Brush some oil on a roasting pan and place it in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove it from the oven and place the soup bones in it. Roast the bones for about 40 minutes until cooked and starting to caramelize.

Place the roasted bones in a large pot. Add 1 cup of water to the roasting pan and deglaze it – making sure to scrape all the brown bits. Pour the liquid into the pot on the bones.

Add 9 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and bay leaves. Simmer soup for at least 2 1/2 hours until reduced and concentrated.

Use the stock as a base for your favorite stews, chilies or soups. You can partition it and freeze it for further use.

Print the Beef Stock Recipe Here

Cream of broccoli and cheese is a classic, well-loved dish! This recipe renders an outstanding version! Here is what you are going to need for this great soup:

Although this is not a soup you would eat every day it is absolutely delicious for those cold winter days when you need some comfort and extra calories. This soup is thickened with a roux and finished with cream. If you want to shave off some calories go ahead and use milk instead. This can be made fairly quickly and is a great way to have the kids eat their broccoli.

Serves four

2 heaping cups broccoli florets
3 TBS butter
1 medium yellow onion – chopped
Pinch nutmeg
1 large garlic clove – minced
3 TBS flour
4 cups low sodium chicken stock, low sodium vegetable stock or water
½ cup whole milk
½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper

Melt 3 TBS butter in a heavy pan. Add the onion. Season with salt and nutmeg. Cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the flour and mix well. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the stock. Whisk the roux constantly until all lumps have disappeared. Bring to a soft simmer and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Add the broccoli and cook for about 10 minutes, until it is cooked through.

Blend the soup. If you have an immersion blender do it now. If you don’t, wait for it to cool a bit and blend in batches. Bring back to pot. Add the cream and the cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and soup is heated through. Taste for salt and adjust. Serve!

CALORIES 250.33; FAT 15.21 grs (sat 9.65; mono 3.89; poly 0.54); PROTEIN 11.25 grs; FIBER 2.5 grs; CARBS 18.78 grs; CHOLESTEROL 46.47 mg; IRON 1.16 mg; SODIUM 560.44 mg; CALCIUM 182.20 mg

Print the Cream of Broccoli & Cheese Recipe Here