Tag Archives: broth

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

December 27, 2011 admin Leave a comment

This is more like an asian noodle bowl with a bit of broth than it is a soup with some noodles. It is filling and scrumptious.

4 servings
290 calories per serving

1 T oil
1 T minced garlic
1 T bottled or fresh grated ginger
1 t lemon pepper seasoning
2 c water
28 oz. chicken broth
1 lb. chicken breast tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces (Perdue Shortcuts or leftover chicken pieces work great here !)
4 oz. uncooked fine (spaghetti-like) asian rice noodles (I use Japanaese Somen rice noodles)
1/4 c cilantro, chopped
1 T lime juice
1 t lemon zest
1/2 t salt
1.4 t pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Heat oil and sauté ginger, garlic and lemon pepper 3 minutes. Then add water and broth and bring to a boil. Add chicken, zest and pasta and cook 4 minutes then remove from heat and stir in cilantro, juice, salt, pepper and scallions. Let stand 5 minutes for flavors to mingle. If you like it spicy, add 1 t of hot chili and garlic sauce (available in the Asian section of your market).

Chicken, Dinner, Kid Friendly, Soups

Tuscan Chicken Soup

December 9, 2011 admin 1 Comment

Warm soup on a cold day; nothing could be better. This soup is a little bit pasta fagioli, a little bit chicken soup, a little bit minestrone and a little bit straccitella – it’s everything soup 🙂

6 servings
390 calories per serving

1 T olive oil
1 T butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c coarsely chopped carrot
1 medium onion, chopped
13.25 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 1/2 c diced potatoes
2 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained – take ½ c and mash them; leave the rest whole
4 cups fat free chicken broth
2 cups vegetable broth
1 c water
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 t oregano flakes
1 t parsley flakes
3 c cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
10 oz. spinach
3 T chopped basil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ c grated parmesan cheese

Heat butter and oil in a soup pot – sauté onion 4 minutes. Add garlic, carrot, mushroom and potato and sauté another 7 minutes. Add broth, beans, mashed beans and seasoning and simmer 10 minutes. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes. Add basil and spinach and cook another 3 minutes. Garnish with parmesan cheese.

Dinner

Roasted Pepper Sauce

November 23, 2011 admin Leave a comment

This is great served on top of any simple grilled beef, chicken, pork or fish but I personally think the sweetness of the red peppers pairs the best with a simple roasted chicken.

6 ¼ c servings
46 calories per serving

4 medium red bell peppers, washed, cored, cut in half and seeded
1 ½ c no fat chicken broth
½ c white wine
1 T chopped basil
2 T margarine
¼ t salt

Preheat broiler and place peppers skin side up on a baking sheet lined with foil. Cook 15 minutes or until blackened. Cover and let cool 15 minutes. The skins should now peel off easily. Blend peppers, broth and wine until smooth and then place in a saucepan with the basil. Bring to a boil and the reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Then add margarine and salt and stir until melted. Cover and keep warm. You can also refrigerate this and just reheat individual portions in the microwave.

Dinner, Lunch, Soups

French Onion Soup

November 11, 2011 admin Leave a comment

Great French onion flavor in a simple to prepare soup that has such a depth of flavor. The sweet onions cook to perfection and the melted cheese over the top of the French bread is just delicious. The parmesan really adds a nice touch.

6 servings
255 calories per serving

2 T margarine or butter
2 1/2 large Spanish onions, peeled, sliced very thin
½ t Kitchen Bouquet
2 cloves garlic, minced
14.5 oz. beef broth
2 1/2 c cold water
½ c cooking wine (red or white)
2 bay leaves
6 slices French bread, toasted
1 c shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter and add onions. Cook ½ hour or until golden brown. Stir frequently and add a tablespoon or 2 of extra hot water if needed to keep onions from getting crisp. Add Kitchen Bouquet, some salt and the minced garlic and cook a minute longer. Add broth, water, wine, and bay leaves. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Preheat broiler. Remove bay leaves and place in individual oven safe ramekins or bowls. Top with a slice of French bread and sprinkle with parmesan then the grated Swiss and broil 3-4 minutes or until cheese is all melted and just starting to brown.

Chicken, Dinner

Chicken Casserole with Wild Rice

November 8, 2011 admin Leave a comment

This is one of those ‘all in one dishes’ that I love to make. You can make it ahead of time, refrigerate, and then do the baking right at the very end. Very convenient, very easy, very good !

8 servings
371 calories per serving

You can make this casserole ahead and refrigerate until you are ready – just bake longer (about an hour) to make sure it heats all the way through.

2 c water
1/2 c wild rice
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken, cooked (Perdue Shortcuts work great here !) and cut into bit sized pieces
2 T oil
3 scallions, chopped
1 1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 c chicken broth
1/4 c flour
2 c skim milk
1/2 c grated Parmesan
1/2 c low fat sour cream
1/3 c chopped parsley
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 c frozen French cut green beans
1/2 c sliced almonds

Mix water and rice and bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and cook 35-40 minutes. Drain and reserve. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot and cook mushrooms 12 minutes or so to release all the liquid and allow it to dry up. Add broth and scallions and cook 5 minutes. Sprinkle in flour and stir then add milk and simmer 2 minutes. Add cheese, sour cream parsley, salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 pan with Pam and place the rice in as the bottom layer. Top with chicken and beans then pour over the mushroom sauce and sprinkle with nuts. Cook 30 minutes and let stand a bit to cool before serving.

Dinner, Italian, Kid Friendly, Pasta

Cheesy Tortellini

November 4, 2011 admin Leave a comment

Sometimes quick sauces are just as good as long simmered ones. This is one of those sauces. It’s full of fresh herbs and makes a great tortellini topper.

4 servings
307 calories per serving

9 oz. package fresh tortellini
8 oz. beef broth
14 oz. can diced tomatoes (undrained)
3 oz. tomato paste
1/4 c chopped basil
¼ c chopped parsley
1/2 c shaved fresh Asiago or Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions and then drain. Mix broth, tomatoes, parsley and basil and cook 5 minutes. Add tortellini, salt and pepper and half the cheese. Plate and garnish with the remainder of the cheese.

Chicken, Lunch, Soups

Ginger Chicken Soup

October 27, 2011 admin Leave a comment

A quick soup that tastes like its been simmering for hours. Great fresh flavors and only 121 calories per serving !

2 servings
121 calories per serving

4 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 c Perdue Shortcuts chicken cut into bite sized pieces (or make your own by sautéing a boneless skinless breast and then cutting it up into small pieces)
1 c green pepper slices (sliced very thin)
¼ c sliced scallions
1 c chicken broth
1 c beef broth
½ c water
Salt and pepper to taste
½ t onion powder
Optional red pepper flakes if you like it spicy

Combine all in a small pan and cook for 15 minutes.

Asian, Dinner, Fish

Ginger Lime Scallops

September 3, 2011 admin Leave a comment

The ginger and lime flavors were very subtle in this dish – you can definitely dial them up if you want a more robust dish. But the subtlety was very nice and when combined with the great scallop flavor, this made a great seafood dish. The rich sauce made with butter and cream is soooo lovely !

6 servings
224 calories per serving

1/2 c dry white wine
1/2 c unsalted chicken broth
2 T minced shallots
1 t grated fresh ginger
1/4 t grated lime peel
1 1/2 lb. scallops
1/4 c unsalted butter
1/4 c whipping cream
Pam

Mix wine, broth, shallots, ginger, and lime peel in a skillet and boil uncovered until reduced by half. Stir in cream and boil until reduced to 3/4 c. Over medium heat add butter and incorporate into sauce. Keep warm. Rinse scallops and pat dry.. Spray scallops and another skillet with Pam. Saute scallops 7 to 10 minutes or until done. Pour sauce onto a warm platter lay scallops in sauce. Serve with optional brown rice (add 120 calories for each ½ c rice).
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Asian, Dinner, Fruit, Pork

Pork and Plums

August 28, 2011 admin Leave a comment

Use tart plums if you don’t want this dish to be too sweet. Fruity yet savory and plums just go so well in fruited dishes !

4 servings
287 calories per serving

1 T oil
1 lb. pork tenderloin cut into thin, short strips
1 T plus 1 ½ t cornstarch
1 carrot thinly sliced on the diagonal
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. plums cut into ½ inch slices
1 c chicken broth
2 T plum jam
1 T cider vinegar
1 T soy sauce
½ t ground ginger

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Mix pork with 1 T cornstarch and rub it in. A good way to do this is place both in a Ziploc bag, seal and then mush it around repeatedly. Cook the meat 5 minutes and then transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium and cook the carrot, scallions and garlic for 1 minute and then add the plums and cook for another 5 minutes or until they start to get soft.

Whisk broth, jam, vinegar, soy, ginger and the rest of the cornstarch and pour into the pan and bring to a boil and cook 1 minute then lower the heat and place the pork back in the pan and cool 3 minutes or until all is heated.

Dinner, Sides, Vegetables

Parmesan Green Beans from the Keep the Beat ™ cookbook from the National Institutes for Health We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition) Campaign

August 14, 2011 admin Leave a comment

I’m always looking for new ways to serve up green beans – the family loves them but it gets a little boring. Sprinkling with parm just before serving is a great way to prepare them !

Check out the online cookbook, Keep the Beat ™ (available in pdf format) for some great ideas for healthful food that kids will eat and they will enjoy preparing with you. Kids learn by example – show them how good healthy food can be !!!

4 servings
95 calories per serving

1 T olive oil
1 t garlic, minced (about 1 clove)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 bag (16 oz) frozen green beans
1 c low-sodium chicken broth
¼ c grated parmesan cheese
¼ t ground black pepper

Combine olive oil and garlic in a large saucepan. Cook until garlic is soft, but not browned (about 30 seconds). Add onion, and continue to cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat until soft. Add green beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes, until the beans are heated through. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and pepper, and serve.