A great way to freeze your leftovers

I have a tendency to cook way too much of a dish - mainly because I love leftovers! So I started freezing individual servings in freezer ziplock backs and then when I want a quick meal, I pull one out of the freezer, break it into pieces (inside the bag) dump into bowl, and then microwave (or heat on the stove). Tonight I bagged the Split Pea Soup, Tilapia Corn Chowder Soup, Refried Beans, and the Dirty Rice. The last photo shows the finished ones in my freezer. I love that they lay flat in my freezer and I save so much room this way!

Italian Egg-Drop Soup

8 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each |  Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups medium barley
• 1 7-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 can Navy beans, rinsed
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced, whites and greens divided
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 cups chopped kale, any tough stems removed
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Combine broth, water, barley, chickpeas, scallion whites and nutmeg in a Dutch oven; cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover and boil for half as long as directed by the pasta package, 45 to 50 minutes.
2. Stir in kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minute. Reduce heat to low. While stirring the soup constantly, slowly add eggs; cook for 2 minutes. (The cooked egg will look like feathery strands.) Season with salt & pepper and stir in the scallion greens and lemon juice. Ladle into 6 bowls and top with Parmesan.

Tilapia Corn Chowder

I am very excited to try this recipe. I love chowders but hate all the fat that gets stuffed inside. This recipe started out as healthy, and I just made it a little more healthy with some of my substitutions. Today is a great day for this soup! Cloudy, rainy, and a little snowy :) Bring on the fresh baked bread and this yummy bowl of warmness! :)

Ingredients
2 ounces bacon*, (about 2 slices)
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 stalk celery, diced
1 leek, white part only, halved lengthwise, rinsed and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
2 cups fresh corn kernels, (about 4 ears)
1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 cup half-and-half*
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, (optional) 

*I use turkey bacon (instead of regular bacon) & greek yogurt (instead of the half-and-half)

Instructions
Chop bacon and cook in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Add oil to the pan. Add celery, leek, salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables just begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add broth, potatoes and corn. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the potatoes are just tender and the corn is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir in tilapia and thyme; return to a gentle simmer. Cook until the tilapia is cooked through, about 4 minutes more. Remove from the heat.

Stir in half-and-half, lemon juice and the reserved bacon. Garnish with chives, if using.


Recipe & photo adapted from Eating Well

Slow Cooker Taco Soup Recipe

Serve this Tex-Mex soup with homemade half-whole-wheat flour tortillas, shredded reduced-fat Cheddar or Jack cheese, and a dollop of fat-free sour cream, if desired. Make this meatless by using a tofu or soy product in place of the ground sirloin.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground sirloin (around 6%-9% fat), or ground turkey with around 6% fat
1 cup chopped onions
1 16-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
8 ounces canned tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 14.5-ounce cans peeled and diced tomatoes
1 4-ounce can diced green chilies (buy mild, if you prefer)
1 ounce packet taco seasoning mix
1 cup shredded, reduced-fat cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

Preparation:
1. In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef or turkey over medium heat until browned. Drain, and set aside.
2. Place the ground meat, onion, chili beans, kidney beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, green chile peppers, and taco seasoning mix in a slow cooker. Mix to blend, and cook on Low setting for 8 hours.
3. Ladle into individual serving bowls, and top each with 1/8 cup shredded cheese and a tablespoon of fat-free sour cream. Serve with homemade flour tortillas.

Yield: 8 servings

Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 288 calories, 20 g protein, 37 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat, 2.7 g saturated fat, 24 mg cholesterol, 10 g fiber, 730 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 22%.

WebMD Recipe from the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic

Swiss Chard, Barley & Cannellini Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 pound swiss chard
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup roma tomatoes, small diced
Salt - to taste
5 cups chicken broth, beef broth, or water
1/2 cup pearl barley
1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans -canned may be used
Freshly ground black pepper - to taste
1/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano cheese


DIRECTIONS

1. Soak the Swiss Chard in cold water for 10 min., then drain and wash well.
   
2. Slice the stalks crosswise 1/8 inch thick.
   
3. Cut the leaves into 1/4 inch wide strips.
   
4. Heat the olive oil and sauté the onion.
   
5. Add the carrot and celery and cook a couple minutes.
   
6. Add the tomatoes, continue cooking a couple minutes longer.
   
7. Add Swiss chard and season with a pinch of salt.
   
8. Cover and cook over low heat for 1/2 hour.
   
9. Meanwhile, bring stock to a boil.
   
10. Add the barley and simmer until tender, about 35 minutes.
    
11. Drain the barley, reserving the liquid.
    
12. Add the barley and beans to the chard, stir well and cook for a couple minutes.
    
13. Stir in enough reserved liquid to reach soup consistency desired. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
    
14. Laddle into bowls and top with grated cheese.

Recipe from MysticRiver

Hearty Bean & Ham Soup

For  Christmas my parents got us a new Crock-Pot! Oh how I love it! It has the most awesome settings! Today I am using it for a new soup I adapted from 500 Treasured Country Recipes.

Originally this was called Overnight Hearty Bean Soup - but I never soak my beans when putting in the crockpot, so I converted it to a crockpot recipe instead. I also needed to use the ham that I had thawed out - so I used ham instead of bacon.

1 pound dried navy beans
6 cups cold water
2 cups diced ham (1/4" - 1/2" pieces)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups sliced celery
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
3 cups tomatoes diced
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon each sage, thyme, oregano
1 bay leaf
1 pound box elbow macaroni
parsley
freshly ground black pepper
grated Parmesan cheese

1. In large pan, heat olive oil and gently saute, mushrooms, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Do not brown. Add to crackpot.

2. Add the tomatoes, sage, thyme, oregano, ham, and bay leaf to the crackpot. Stir to blend, then add to beans to crackpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

4. 10 minutes before crackpot is finished cooking, Cook the macaroni, drain, and add to the soup. Add parsley, pepper, and Parmesan to taste before serving.

Side Note: To keep your noodles from getting too soggy (when reheated), do not combine noodles into soup, just spoon the soup over the noodles in individual bowls.

Yield: 8-10 servings


This is a great book - I highly recommend it!

500 Treasured Country Recipes
by: Martha Story & Friends

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Serves: 5
This recipe, from “America’s Test Kitchen: Healthy Family Cookbook”

Note: Make sure to buy evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk, which is not the same and will be too sugary for this recipe. Don’t boil the soup after adding the cheese or it will separate. –America’s Test Kitchen

Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 bunch broccoli (about 1 ½ pounds), florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stems trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick, divided use
1 pound leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and rinsed thoroughly
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
¾ cup fat-free evaporated milk (see note)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
Salt and Pepper

Instructions
Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks and broccoli stems and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the broth and water and bring to a ¬simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the broccoli stems are soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in the broccoli florets, cover, and continue to cook until tender, about 5 minutes longer.

Puree the soup with the milk, cheddar, and mustard in a blender in batches (or I use my immersion blender in the pot so I don’t have to pour hot liquids in to the blender) until cheese is melted and the soup is very smooth, about 1 minute. Return the soup to a clean pot and cook gently over medium-low heat until soup is hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Per 1½ -cup serving: 260 cal.; 16 g pro.; 26 g carb.; 11 g fat; 7g sat fat; 30 mg chol.; 670 mg sod.; 5g fiber; 13g protein

Hearty Italian Wedding Soup - With Mega Meatballs

So excited to finally make this soup! I have watched Giada make it for awhile now. I did some things a little different than her though. Here are my additions:

 - Added Kale instead of Endive (only because they don't sell Endive here)
 - Added White Kidney Beans
 - Added 2 cups of Whole Wheat Elbow Noodles
 - Added 1 cup of Diced Celery
 - Used Ground Turkey (instead of pork & beef). I also didn't make them as tiny meatballs.

Oh boy this is good! Nice flavor, lots of protein and veggies. I will definitely be making this again!