Running Mama Cooks

I follow my cousin Katy's awesome blog, Tangerine Hearts, and came across this recipe the other day. She blogs about Fashion, recipes, and life in general. My favorite posts are her "What the Fug" segmants that highlight interesting (hideous and ugly) new trends in fashion. Definitely check her out!

This crockpot soup caught my eye because it looked so easy and yummy, plus it was easy to make this typically heavy soup on the lighter side. We really enjoyed it!

Smashed Potato Soup
adapted from Better Homes & Gardens Slow Cooker Family Dinners cookbook by way of Tangerine Hearts

Ingredients:

3 1/2 pounds potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/2 chopped yellow pepper
1/2 chopped red pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used fat free half and half)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
4 strips low sodium bacon, diced (I used turkey bacon)
additional sliced green onion

Directions:
In crockpot, combine potatoes, peppers, garlic and black pepper. Pour chicken broth all over.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours. Meanwhile cook chopped bacon until crispy, set aside.

After 8 to 10 hours mash potatoes slightly with a potato masher. Stir in cream, cheddar cheese and the 1/2 cup green onions.

Top individual servings with additional sliced green onion, bacon and cheddar cheese.

This recipe makes 8 servings; 243 calories per serving (without toppings).

My in laws gave me the "Crockpot Slow Cooker Bible" for Christmas and I have so many pages marked, its about time I get on it! Thursdays are our usual crockpot night because I teach at the gym, so I decided to give this one a try.

One of my goals in the new year is to also try more vegetarian meals. Not that I plan on giving up meat, but because they are generally very healthy and cost effective dinners. Plus, I have many family members that are vegetarian and I would like to be able to make them something other than meatless baked ziti when they visit!

I have to admit that I wasn't that excited about this meal. I am typically not a fan of beans, even though I am trying to be more open minded about them. But, it ended up being pretty good. There was something missing flavor-wise (I could have added more salt), but overall it was a nice hearty soup. And the beans were actually my favorite part!

ZACH'S RATING - *** 1/2

The crockpot definitely saves my life on the nights that I teach at the gym. The last thing I want to do is cook after getting home at 8 and having to put both kids to bed! I didn't have a plan for dinner tonight but after taking a look through my cabinets and fridge, I put together this Chicken Taco Soup. I was hopeful that it would come out tasty, and I was right! It was super flavorful, had a little kick, was ready when I got home and, best of all, is super low in points!

I have to pat myself on the back, this was a great one!

The perfect snow day soup! Very hearty and healthy. And only 7 Weight Watchers points per serving.

Chicken Meatball and Vegetable Soup
A Running Mama Cooks Original
Serves 6
7 WW points plus per serving

Ingredients:

1 tbs Olive Oil
1/2 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
pinch red pepper flakes
4 cups broth
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp minced garlic
1 lb ground chicken
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup egg beaters
1/4 cup Parmesan, plus more
2 tbs pesto
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp fresh thyme
dried basil
1 cup frozen green beans
6 oz bag baby spinach

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add a few pinches of red pepper flakes

Add broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, and dried basil. In the meantime, combine ground chicken, oats, egg beaters, pesto, Parmesan, garlic and thyme and form into 1 inch meatballs

Bring soup to a boil. Add frozen green beans and drop in meatballs. Simmer on low covered for 20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. Stir in baby spinach and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Rainy, cold day and a sick little girl = perfect day for homemade chicken soup just like Mommy used to make. Delicious and healthy. Sending a container to my poor sister stuck at home with the flu.

Homemade Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

1 pkg split chicken breasts
5 carrots, peeled and chopped
5 celery stalks, chopped
1 large onion chopped
2 bay leaves
4 bouillon cubes
1 6 oz bag baby spinach
1 tsp fresh thyme chopped
1/2 lb Ditalini or other small pasta
dried basil
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large soup pot, add carrots, celery and onion. Wash breasts and remove skin. Add to pot. Cover with water and set heat to high. Add bay leaves, bouillon, basil, thyme and salt and pepper. When soup comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 1 hour.

In a separate pot, cook pasta al dente. Remove chicken from soup and let sit until cool enough to handle. Remove meat and add back into the soup. Drain pasta and add to soup as well. Right before serving, add in whole bag of spinach and stir until wilted. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

I think I have a new favorite source for recipes. Our Best Bites is a great blog with some awesome recipes. This is the second soup I've made of theirs and both have been winners.

This soup tasted SO rich, but it is really low in fat! The only change I made to the original recipes is that I used turkey bacon. If you love big bowls of comforting soup, you must try this!

Baked Potato Soup
Recipe by Our Best Bites

2 Tbs butter
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C flour
4 1/2 C low-fat or skim milk
1 14oz can chicken broth
4 medium baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds) baked*
2 C grated cheddar (or sharp cheddar) cheese, divided
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 C light sour cream, divided
1/2 C chopped green onions, divided
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

*don't have time to bake potatoes in the oven? Just pierce them with a fork a few times and then pop them in the microwave. Cook in 5 minute intervals until a knife easily pierces through them. It usually takes 5-10 minutes. To bake in the oven, pierce each potato with a fork and place directly on oven rack. Bake at 375 for 45-60 minutes.

Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Add flour to pan. Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps. Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth. Bring soup just to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low. Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into the pot. Use a wooden spoon to smash potatoes, breaking up large clumps. Add 1 1/2 C grated cheese and salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 C sour cream, 1/4 C green onions, and 4 strips of the crumbled bacon. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with each serving with the remaining sour cream, onions, cheese, and bacon.

ZACH'S RATING - ****

I cannot believe its been a whole year since I started this blog. I honestly wasn't sure how much I would keep up with it, let alone have people who actually read and follow it! I am so grateful to everyone for all of their positive feedback and comments on this little adventure of mine. One of the best things is hearing that someone else tried and loved one of the recipes!

Tortellini Sausage Soup
Recipe slightly adapted from Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

4 links Italian turkey sausage
4 cloves pressed garlic
1 onion, diced
½ c. water
3 cups chicken broth
½ c. apple cider
1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. sliced carrots
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 medium zucchini, grated
8-10 oz. package cheese tortellini
2 Tbsp. dried parsley

Directions:

If you're using link sausage, remove the casings and crumble into a large soup pot. To remove the casings, you can use a sharp knife to cut a slit down one side of the sausage and then peel back the casing.

Begin cooking sausage over medium heat, stirring frequently. If your sausage is pretty fatty, you'll want to drain it when it's about halfway cooked. Meanwhile, chop onions and garlic

and add to the sausage. Continue cooking until onions are translucent and your sausage is cooked. Your house will smell heavenly.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, juice, water, chicken broth, carrots, oregano, and basil. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add parsley and zucchini

and simmer for another 15 minutes or so.

Add the tortellini

and cook until tender, and then serve with grated Asiago or Parmesan.

ZACH'S RATING - ****

This soup tasted rich, but it was very low in fat and calories! I even put it through weight watchers "recipe builder" and found out it was only 3 points per serving. And it was super tasty and filling. Another 5 star meal, I'm on a roll!

Butternut Squash Soup
Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, halved, seeded, and diced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth for vegetarian version
1/2 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, sage, 1 teaspoon of the salt and season with pepper, to taste. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high, add the tomatoes, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the tomatoes break up and the onions brown slightly, about 7 minutes. Add the squash and the remaining teaspoon salt, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, about 12 minutes. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until the vegetables tender, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender, or with an immersion blender. Return the soup to the pot and reheat over medium heat. Stir in yogurt and vinegar. Serve the soup in warm bowls with a touch of Parmesan cheese if desired.

ZACH'S RATING - *****

French onion soup was my very first blog entry in October. I made it one night and thought it looked pretty impressive, so I took a picture and decided to start a food blog.

Even though I liked the recipe, I have been meaning to try it again and make a few changes. Here is the recipe I used tonight. I thought it was really good, and closer to what I would consider a "perfect" french onion soup. It had more flavor than the first time.

I used shredded provolone cheese and it didn't brown up the way I would have liked. Next time I will definitely use sliced.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon olive oil
4 large onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 cups low sodium beef broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup dry sherry
2 bay leaves
1 tsp fresh chopped thyme
salt and pepper
4 slices French bread
1 cup shredded provolone

Directions:

Place a large saucepan over low heat and add olive oil. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or more, until very soft, translucent and brown on the edges. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to combine. Pour in beef broth, wine, sherry, thyme and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 20 to 30 minutes. Preheat oven broiler. Toast the bread slices. Ladle the soup into 4 ovenproof bowls and place the bowls on a baking sheet. Place a toasted slice of bread over each bowl and top with cheese. Place bowls under broiler until cheese is melted.


We also had London broil, one of my favorites, which came out perfect. I seasoned the meat with Lawry's and broiled for 10 minutes on each side until it was medium rare. We also had steamed broccoli.

Zach's Rating:

Soup - *** 1/2
London Broil - **** 1/2

Love my crockpot, have I said that enough? Nothing better than throwing a couple ingredients in first thing in the morning and having dinner basically done at the end of the day!

This tomato soup was very tasty, and I loved that it used fresh tomatoes instead of canned. I replaced the heavy cream with fat free evaporated milk and sour cream, so it is also very low fat. Great meal to have before hitting the gym for boot camp class tonight!

I served it with a bunch of croutons for some crunch.

Crockpot Tomato Soup
From The Crockpot Lady by way of Lauren's Kitchen

Ingredients

•3lbs vine-ripe tomatoes (I used about 10)
•1 onion, chopped
•2 cups tomato juice
•1 cup cooking sherry
•3 tablespoons sugar
•1 chicken boullion cube
•2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
•2 cups heavy cream (I used 1 1/2 cups of fat free evap milk and 1/2 cup sour cream)
•salt and pepper to taste

Wash all of your tomatoes, and cut them in quarters. Nope, we're not going to peel the tomatoes, yay! To save your counter top from tomato gook, put your cutting board on a cookie sheet with sides. The juice will then stay inside the cookie sheet.

Put all the tomatoes in your crockpot.

Chop up the onion, and add it. Cover with the tomato juice and sherry, and drop in the boullion cube. Stir in the sugar and chopped basil.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

If you'd like your soup to have chunks, go ahead and stir in the cream. If you'd prefer a chunk-free soup, CAREFULLY use an immersible blender to soupify, or blend in small batches in a traditional blender. Then stir in the heavy cream.

All the ingredients (minus the cream) ready to go in the morning

This afternoon I made a new soup recipe. This Corn Soup (recipe from my friend Brenna) caught by eye because of the roasted red peppers, one of my husband's favorite ingredients. Plus I wanted an excuse to use my new hand blender :D

Cut the peppers in half and scoop out the seeds and cores. Set one aside. Cut the other into ½-inch dice.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and sauté over low heat for about 10 minutes, until it is translucent and soft. Stir in the diced pepper and corn and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.

Spoon the contents of the pan into a food processor, pour in the chicken stock and process until almost smooth (I used a blender because it is a lot of liquid). This processing can be done in batches if necessary.

Most Sunday afternoons you can find my family gathered at Aunt Dale's house for dinner. Today Zach and I ran a 13 mile training run and quickly headed over for some comfort food. I decided to make Pumpkin Soup since I have enjoyed this recipe so much.