The Soup Kitchen

By Sallie Niehoff, R.D.

The cool nights and changing leaves are a signal to switch our meals from light summer salads to warm and hearty soups. A serving of soup, along with a piece of crusty bread and slices of crisp fall apples, make a simple, satisfying and nutritious autumn meal. Unless you have the talent and time to make soup stocks from scratch, soups tend to be high in sodium. To limit the sodium try using low-sodium broths for your soup base and don't be too generous with your saltshaker.

Heart Smart Soup

Looking for power-packed nutrition? One serving of this flavorful and colorful soup is super high in fiber, potassium, calcium, iron, Vitamins C & A and Folacin.

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 4 medium potatoes with skins, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, trimmed and diced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 9-ounce packages frozen, chopped greens (collard, kale, mustard or turnip)
• 1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Heat oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté potatoes, onions and bell pepper for 4 minutes, or until onions begin to soften. Add broth, greens, black-eye peas and pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Servings : 8. Serving size : 2 cups. Prep time : 15 minutes. Cook time : 20 minutes.

Nutrition : 201 calories, 2g fat, 0g saturated fat, 427mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate, 6g dietary fiber, 16g protein

Shopping list:

• Canola oil
• Potatoes
• Onion
• Red bell pepper
• Low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• Frozen chopped greens
• Black-eyed peas
• Red pepper flakes

Cream of Asparagus Soup

This is the soup you want to serve when company is coming. It's quick and easy so you'll have plenty of time to spend with your guests but it's so delicious they'll think you worked all day in the kitchen.

• 2/3 cup fat-free sour cream
• 2 tablespoons low fat buttermilk
• Zest of one orange (optional)
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 2 ½ pounds fresh asparagus spears, trimmed & cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2/3 cup fat-free half & half
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

In a small bowl, stir together sour cream and buttermilk until smooth. Stir in orange zest if desired. Cover and refrigerate until soup is served.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté 2 minutes or until softened. Add asparagus and broth to skillet; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 3 to 4 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Working in two batches, transfer half of the asparagus, shallots and broth to blender. Add half and half, salt and white pepper. Puree mixture until smooth. Transfer to serving dish. Repeat with remaining vegetables and broth. Stir second batch into serving dish and blend well with first batch.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with a tablespoon of sour cream mixture in center of soup.

Servings : 6. Serving size : 1 cup soup (1 tablespoon sour cream). Prep time : 5 minutes.

Cook time : 15 minutes.

Nutrition : 64 calories, 2g fat; 0g saturated, 1mg cholesterol, 274mg sodium, 7g carbohydrate, 2g dietary fiber, 7g protein

Shopping list :

• Fat-free sour cream
• Olive oil
• Low-fat buttermilk
• Shallots
• Orange
• Asparagus
• Low-sodium broth
• Fat-free half & half
• White pepper

Healthy and Hearty Minestrone

This is a real "stick to the ribs" soup without the fat and calories so often found in hearty soups.

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 medium carrot, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
• 1 cup long-grain brown rice, uncooked
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 6-inch zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
• 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 8 teaspoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute onions, garlic and carrots in oil for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, rice, broth, Italian seasoning and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add zucchini, garbanzo beans, spinach and pepper. Cook an additional 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Serve in individual bowls and topped with a sprinkle of cheese.

Servings : 8. Serving size : 1 1/2 cups. Prep time : 15 minutes. Cook time : 30 minutes

Nutrition : 285 calories, 5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 1 mg saturated fat, 448mg sodium, 46g carbohydrate, 10g dietary fiber, 19g protein

Shopping list:

• Olive oil
• Low-sodium chicken broth
• Onion
• Italian seasoning
• Garlic
• Zucchini
• Carrot
• Garbanzo beans
• Diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
• Spinach
• Rice
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

Irish Leek and Potato Soup

It's hard to find the person who doesn't like potato soup. This is one recipe you'll want to double so you can have some the next day. And we all know soups taste better the second day.

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 medium leek, trimmed, washed and chopped (include 2 inches of green)
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme or minced rosemary
• 2 cups skim milk
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Servings : 8. Serving size : about 1 1/2 cups. Prep time : 15 minutes. Cook time : 25 minutes.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add leeks and sauté just until tender, about 4 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, bay leaf, thyme and chicken broth. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and cook until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes. Using a 1-quart bowl, whisk milk, flour, salt and white pepper together until smooth. Stir milk mixture into hot soup. Continue cooking soup, stirring frequently, about 4 to 5 minutes or until thickened.

Nutrition : 126 calories, 2g fat, 0g saturated fat, 1 mg cholesterol, 505mg sodium, 20mg carbohydrate, 2g dietary fiber, 8g protein

Shopping list :

• Canola oil
• Low-sodium chicken broth
• Leek
• Fresh thyme or rosemary
• Potatoes
• Bay leaf
• Carrots
• Milk
• White pepper
• Flour

Dietitian and chef, Sallie Niehoff, R.D., L.D., is a food service manager and cooking class instructor for Floyd Memorial Hospital in New Albany , Indiana . Her specialty, recipe development and modification, relies heavily on her nutrition, food science and culinary arts education. Sallie can be reached via e-mail at sniehoff@fmhhs.com or by phone, 812-949-5797.