Thrifty Thursday: Soup for Supper

View at Picasa 01-Apr-2010 07:25, 3.2, 5.9mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 500

There is nothing like a hearty soup and a salad for a super-easy, super-delicious meal. Here’s a savory soup that you can make in less than an hour. While I typically avoid soups with cream – this curried seafood chowder is worth the splurge. Don’t save this recipe for a fall evening, it is equally tasty on a spring or summer evening.

Curried Fish Chowder

Serves 4 – 6

View at Picasa 01-Apr-2010 18:52, Apple iPhone, 2.8

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup half-and-half (light cream or 2% milk)
• 1 can creamed corn
• 3 red potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 pound white fish (cod, halibut, grouper, etc), cut into pieces

Preparation

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat melt butter. Add curry powder; cook stirring constantly for 1 minute. Slowly add broth, milk, corn, potatoes, celery and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
2. Add fish; cook for 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
3. Serve immediately.

Serving suggestion: Mixed green salad and bread.

Brrr. Take the chill off this winter with a bowl of delicious chili.  This healthy and tasty meal comes together in well-under an hour and uses a combination of fresh produce and pantry staples. If you don’t have barley, you can substitute brown rice (add an  add’l 2/3 cup of broth/water and extended the cooking time by 15 minutes).

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Quick Vegetarian Chili with Avocado Salsa

Six servings

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
• 2/3 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 6 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
• 6 lime wedges
• 18 baked tortilla chips
• Avocado Salsa (recipe below)

Directions

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 3 minutes. Add chili powder and next 4 ingredients (chili powder through green chiles); cook 1 minute. Stir in barley and next 4 ingredients (barley through broth); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until barley is tender. Stir in cilantro. Serve with sour cream, lime wedges, chips, and Avocado Salsa.

Note: Store chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup chili, 1 tablespoon sour cream, 1 lime wedge, 3 chips, and and about 2 1/2 tablespoons avocado salsa)

CALORIES 313 (29% from fat); FAT 10.1g (sat 2.2g,mono 4.8g,poly 1.6g); IRON 3.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 6mg; CALCIUM 100mg; CARBOHYDRATE 50.4g; SODIUM 814mg; PROTEIN 9.6g; FIBER 9.5g (Totals include Avocado Salsa)

Avocado Salsa

• 1/2 cup finely chopped peeled avocado
• 1/3 cup chopped seeded tomato
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients; toss mixture gently. Serve salsa immediately.

Yield: 1 cup (serving size: about 2 1/2 tablespoons)

CALORIES 59 (79% from fat); FAT 5.2g (sat 0.8g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.7g); IRON 0.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.7g; SODIUM 54mg; PROTEIN 0.8g; FIBER 1.9g

Recipe Source: Cooking Light, MARCH 2002 via www.myrecipes.com

Stay warm and enjoy!