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Delicious and Healthy Weight Watchers Recipes
Category Archives: Soups
Feb 10 2013

Pasta Fagiole

by Steph

Pasta Fagiole

7 Weight Watchers Points Plus

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So my last post I had told you all I kinda had a lot of things going on, things have significantly slowed down, so that’s good. And I have some very exciting news.  Most of my close friends know at this point, we are expecting our second child!!  It was a rough past few months as I was not feeling very well and hardly cooked at all.  I apologize for the lack of posts.  I have started cooking again so I will definitely try to keep up with the posts.

The weather has been frigid here in New Jersey, and we are sitting in about 10 inches of snow, so I will give you a nice warming recipe; one of my favorite soups, Pasta Fagiole.  It is also one of the few soups my husband will eat.  It freezes well so you can put it in individual containers and keep for quick lunches and/or dinners.  Also, You could just make a big pot and keep it in the fridge; this soups flavor just improves over time.   Pasta Fagiole is VERY filling; it’s loaded with fiber and protein to keep you full for a long time.

OPTIONAL Instead of the Thyme and Bay Leaves, you can add in 2 TBS of pesto.  Which is another DELICIOUS way to make this soup

Ingredients

  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 3 oz. Pancetta, diced
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 1 Onion, finely diced
  • 1 Celery rib, finely diced
  • 1 Carrot, finely diced
  • 2 – 15oz cans Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 – 28oz can Crushed Tomatoes
  • 1 – 32oz box Chicken Broth
  • ¾ tsp. Thyme
  • 2 dried Bay Leaves
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1 ½ Cup Dry Ditalini
  • 6 TBS Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Heat Olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven, add pancetta.  Cook until browned

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Add the onion, celery and carrot.  Cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.

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Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves.   Cook for another 2 minutes. Add the Crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and Cannellini Beans.  Bring to a boil

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Add the Pasta and cook for 6-7 minutes until pasta is cooked.

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Remove bay leaves, season with salt and pepper.  Serve each bowl with one Tablespoon of parmesan cheese

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Enjoy!!

 

 

Nutritional Information

6 Servings

7 Weight Watchers Points Plus per serving

269 Calories; 7.3g Fat; 2.5g Sat. Fat; 14mg Cholesterol; 37.8g Carbohydrates; 11.2g Fiber; 10.2g Sugar; 16.6g Protein

** Nutritional information calculated through weight watchers online recipe builder and calorie-count.com. Some data may not be accurate.

** I am not a nutritionist and am not affiliated with Weight Watchers. Please consult a doctor before starting any new nutritional program or diet

 

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Feb 21 2012

Lentil Soup

by Steph

I know I have mentioned it before, but I really, really dislike winter. The only thing that makes it tolerable is the fact that I can eat soup.  With winter quickly coming to an end (Hurray!!) I decided to make some more soup while I still can.  This time, Lentil soup, its so satisfying and good for you.  I made a big pot, put it pre-portioned containers and put them in the freezer.  Now I have a warm, hearty satisfying meal anytime.  This recipe is 5 weight watchers points+ per 1 ¼ cup serving.

Here are your ingredients:

  • 2 Cups Lentils
  • 8 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
  • 1 Can petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 1 onion
  • 2 Carrots
  • 2 Ribs of Celery
  • 1 ½ tsp dried thyme
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 8 Tbs grated parmesan cheese

Equipment needed

  • Large stock/soup pot
  • Cutting Board & knives

Finely dice your onion, celery and carrots

 

Heat 1 TBS olive oil in stock pot . Add your onion, celery and carrots and cook for 5-7 minutes until onion is translucent.

Mince the Garlic and add it to the pot, along with thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another minute until fragrant.

 

 

Add Stock, diced tomatoes and lentils.

 

 

Cover and cook for about 1 hour. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if desired

 

Top each serving with 1 TBS of grated parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!!

 

Nutritional Information

Makes 8 servings, 1 ¼ cup per serving

5 WW Points+ per serving (calculated through WW online recipe builder)

CALORIES 123; FAT 0.1g; SAT. FAT 0g;  CHOLEST. 0mg; CARB. 28.2g; FIBER 10.5g; SUGAR 2.5g; PROTEIN 11.9g

(Calculated through loseit.com, some data may not be accurate)

 

 

Lentil Soup

 

Here are your ingredients:

  • 2 Cups Lentils
  • 8 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
  • 1 Can petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 1 onion
  • 2 Carrots
  • 2 Ribs of Celery
  • 1 ½ tsp dried thyme
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 8 Tbs grated parmesan cheese

Equipment needed

  • Large stock/soup pot
  • Cutting Board & knives

Instructions

  1. Prep all of your ingredients
  2. Finely dice your onion, celery and carrots
  3. Heat 1 TBS olive oil in stock pot
  4. Add your onion, celery and carrots and cook for 5-7 minutes until onion is translucent.
  5. Mince the Garlic and add it to the pot, along with thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
  6. Add Stock, diced tomatoes and lentils. Cover and cook for about 1 hour.
  7. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if desired
  8. Top each serving with 1 TBS of grated parmesan cheese.

 

Enjoy!!

Nutritional Information

Makes 8 servings, 1 ¼ cup per serving

5 WW Points+ per serving (calculated through WW online recipe builder)

CALORIES 123; FAT 0.1g; SAT. FAT 0g;  CHOLEST. 0mg; CARB. 28.2g; FIBER 10.5g; SUGAR 2.5g; PROTEIN 11.9g

(Calculated through loseit.com, some data may not be accurate)

 

 

 

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Jan 12 2012

Mom’s Minestrone

by Steph

 

If you know me, you know I greatly dislike winter.  I go into hibernation and avoid going outdoors at all cost.  Thank goodness I don’t live somewhere very cold or you would never see me between the months of December – March.  In my opinion the only thing good to come out of winter is soup. I don’t really eat soup any other time of the year, but I absolutely love soup. Its warm and comforting and makes you feel like you have a big blanket wrapped around you.

This recipe is hearty, stick to your ribs soup.  The recipe below does not include pasta but that is because I make it to freeze it. Pasta does not freeze well.  So my mother and I usually make a big pot, put it in individual containers and freeze it so its ready whenever we want. When you reheat it, you can make a little pasta (usually 1/2 cup or so) and add it to the soup once its heated.  We usually use Ditalini (Ditalini means little thimble in Italian). I have yet to find whole wheat Ditalini in the grocery store.  So if you want to use whole wheat just stick to any short whole wheat pasta, orecchiette would probably be very good.

Here are your ingredients:

  • 1 – 15oz can garbanzo beans (NOT drained)
  • 1 – 15oz can kidney beans (Not drained)
  • 1 – 15oz can cannellini beans (NOT Drained)
  • 1 lb carrots (baby cut in half or whole carrots diced)
  • 1 medium head of cabbage
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 TBS Olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 – 28oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can water – rinsed from crushed tomatoes

First thing, chop up all your veggies.

Cut core out of cabbage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

dice it up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sauté garlic and onion and carrots in 2 TBS olive oil for about 5 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add Cabbage to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes. Then add your crushed tomatoes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add all your beans, juice from the can and all…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rinse the crushed tomato can out with water and add 1 whole can of water to the pot. Cover and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yummy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stay Warm!! Enjoy!

 

Nutritional Information (without pasta):

Recipe makes 9 servings, 1 1/2 cup each

4 WW PointsPlus per serving

CALORIES 235; FAT 4.5g; SAT. FAT 0.6g;  CHOLEST. 0mg; CARB. 41.2g; FIBER 11.7g; SUGAR 7.5g; PROTEIN 11.7g

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Jan 6 2012

Butternut Squash Soup

by Steph

When my neighbor told me one day told that she makes her own butternut squash soup I was very excited to find out how she made it. Thanks Christine!  I always bought it but never made it, I thought it was hard. It is so easy, quick and delicious, and get this…Only 1 WW point plus for 1 1/2 cups!! WHAT! right? I think the only thing I changed from her recipe was adding red pepper flakes…I like things spicy ;-) But please feel free to leave out the red pepper out if you prefer.  I use a whole butternut squash and peel it myself.  Its kind of a pain in the tush, but its cheaper then buying it cut up.  Its a short cut worth taking if you aren’t watching your pennies…

Also, don’t worry how you chop your veggies in this because you will be pureeing it all together at then end.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Medium butternut squash
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 small or 1/2 large yellow onion
  • 1 carton chicken broth (or enough to just cover the butternut squash)
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1 tbs olive oil

Instructions

Get your biggest, sharpest knife and get to work peeling that butternut squash.  I find the easiest way to accomplish this is to cut the top and bottom off and then slice the butternut squash in half like so…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Then using your knife slice off the peel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slice in half and remove all the yuck inside with spoon, just like a pumpkin. Then get to dicing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a large dutch oven or soup pot heat 1 tbs of olive oil on a medium high heat.  Add the onions and sauté for a few minutes. Then add your garlic and butternut squash.  Cook the butternut squash and garlic for another few minutes then add your spices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pour chicken broth in put until it just covers the butternut squash and cook for 20-30 minutes until the butternut squash is tender

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOW for the fun part. You take your handy dandy immersion blender and puree your soup

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you don’t have one you can use a blender in batches (just remember to leave the spout on the top open to let steam escape and cover with a towel).  But seriously, you should consider getting one of these bad boys. The one I have is awesome, its a Cuisinart. It has the immersion blender, a mini food processor, a whisk attachment and mixing cup.  Fancy schmancy right?

Ok, sorry, back to the soup.

This is great for a meal or a large snack to tide you over before dinner. Its pretty filling for 1 point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can also try swirling 1/2 tbs of light cream or half and half in the soup for a pretty presentation.  How do you like mine? HAHA!! Kidding! I tried, it didn’t work. Oh well, I will keep practicing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nutritional Information:

Makes 4 – 1 1/2 cup servings

1 WW pointsplus (calculated through WW recipe builder)

CALORIES 119; FAT 3.8g; SAT FAT .6g; CHOLESTEROL 0mg; CARB. 22.7g; FIBER 3.9g; SUGAR 4.8g; PROTEIN 2g (calculated through loseit.com, some data may not be accurate)

 

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