Italian vegetable soup

I love crock-pot recipes and this is one I have made several times!  

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Slower Cooker Cooking Time: 4 to 41/2 hours on high or 8 to 9 hours in low
Last-Minutes Cooking Time: 10 to 15 minutes on high

3 small carrots, thinly sliced
1 small onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, sliced
2 small potatoes, diced
2 T. chopped parsley
1 large clove garlic, minced
3 tsp. beef bouillon granules
1 1/4 tsp. dried basil leaves, crunched
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can (15oz.) red kidney beans
3 c. water
1 can (8oz.) stewed tomatoes, cut up and juice reserved
1 c. diced cooked ham


1. Layer in a slow cooker, in order, carrots, onions, celery, potatoes, parsley, garlic, bouillon granules, basil, salt, pepper, and kidney beans with liquid. Add water. DO NOT STIR.

2. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 4 1/2 hours or on low for 8 to 9 hours or until vegetables are tender. 
         
3. Stir in stewed tomatoes with juice and ham. Immediatly cover and cook on high for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with graded Parmesan cheese. If desired, serve over cooked pasta in bottom of soup bowls.

Hearty Black Bean Soup

1 cup tomato salsa
2 (15 1/2 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Sour cream

Instructions

1.  Heat the salsa in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans and broth.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the soup, covered, for 15 minutes.

2.  Let the soup cool slightly, then ladle half of it into a food processor or blender and puree it.  Return pureed soup to the pot.  Stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro and heat the mixture through.  Serve the soup warm, topped with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.  Makes 4 servings.

This is my favorite quick, easy, healthy lunch.  I just put all of the ingredients in my Vita-mix blender, put it on the hot soups setting and we have lunch hot and ready in about 5 minutes!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Image by: Taste of Home

This recipe comes from a Taste of Home cookbook.  It was simple to make and so DELICIOUS!  We did not have any left over!  

(Thanks for the cookbook Kimmie!)  

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 cups Progresso ® Chicken Broth
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Mexican diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
• Tortilla chips, optional

Directions

• In a large saucepan, combine the first six ingredients; bring to a boil. Add chicken. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 4-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into soup.
• Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Top servings with cheese and cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips if desired. Yield: 6 servings.
• Nutritional Analysis: One 1-cup serving (prepared with reduced-sodium chicken broth and reduced-fat cheese; calculated without tortilla chips) equals 183 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 67 mg cholesterol, 752 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 30 g protein.Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 vegetable.