by Claire on September 8, 2009
I found this recipe in Prevention magazine and since I absolutely love creamy tomato soup – especially with grilled cheese sandwiches – I had to give it a try. It’s super low in points and very filling because instead of heavy cream you use white beans to thicken the soup. Interesting concept. You get thickness, plus the added fiber brings the points value down and fills you up.
And I would have taken a picture but my camera is out of batteries, so I promise, next time.
Ingredients
- 2 14.5 oz cans stewed tomatoes (or chopped)
- 28 oz fat free, sodium free chicken broth (I just used the empty tomato cans to measure
- 1 14.5 oz can cannellini beans or white northern beans
- 1 cup fat free milk (or 2% milk, but changes the points value
- Several bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
These are not the exact directions from the magazine, but my adaptations and how I cooked the soup. Heat up the tomatoes along with the bay leaves in a medium pan over medium heat. Let it cook for about 15 minutes, allowing the bay leaves to flavor the tomatoes, and the tomatoes to cook down. Rinse and drain the cannellini or white northern beans, mash them, and then set them aside. Add one cup fat free milk to the tomatoes and simmer another 15 minutes. Stir frequently. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the mashed beans. Remove the soup from the stove and put it in the blender and puree until smooth.
Using the quantities above, I had to split the soup into two batches and I pureed it twice by putting the once-pureed mixture into a bowl, pureeing the next batch, stirring it all back together, and pureeing again. This is because the beans settle at the bottom of the soup when first added.
Claire’s Review
Very filling soup. You can definitely taste the bean texture in the soup, but it’s a healthy alternative. Next time, I’d add some basil for more flavor, I think. The bay leaves didn’t seem to do too much. Also, this yielded nearly 8 cups, and the original recipe said it served 4. So, when I ran it through the Weight Watchers online recipe builder, that calculated to 3 points for a 2 cup serving. That’s a whole lotta soup. You could reduce the serving size and consequently lower the points, if you wanted. I’ll freeze the leftovers and will have a nice hearty soup to have in a pinch.
Tagged as:
Claire's Test Kitchen,
cooking,
filling foods,
Prevention magazine recipes,
Recipes,
tomato soup,
Weight Loss,
Weight Watchers,
Weight Watchers Points
by Claire on September 8, 2009
My daughters are grown so I don’t have the back-to-school deal going on, but I still feel the change in the air that comes with September, back to school preparations, and the change in weather. It seems to me that I’m much more aware of the change in season this year than I have in the past. This time last year I was visiting my brother in Missouri, watching him race his Beemer in the SCCA Solo Nationals, and then hanging at the lake with him and his fiancée. I miss having a repeat of that and am sad I couldn’t make it this year. It was such a grand way to cap off the summer.
(Table Rock Lake, Missouri, September 2008)
This year, I’m much more aware of changes that are occurring in my life, and as much as I don’t like major changes, I somewhat embrace the little ones.
Changing activity patterns. The weather change from mostly constant sunshine to mostly constant rain means I’m going to have to change my activity patterns. I’m going to have to squeeze in my walks, runs, and bike rides in between rain clouds and learn to ignore rain drops or mud splatters. I’m going to have to find more indoor exercise, such as Zumba, to do. Since I’m nearly to my goal weight that means I have fewer daily points that I can eat. I’m down to 20 a day, and a typical meal for me is about 6 points, so that doesn’t leave much for fudging or snacks. The only way for me to be able to eat more is to exercise more.
Changing home projects. This weekend, according to our weather dude, promises to be one last hurrah of 80 degree temps. This means it’s my last opportunity – this year – to get my outdoor projects completed and the yard prepped for soggy rain. I’ve got lots to do: finish organizing the garage so hopefully I can fit my car in there once again, mulch the yard, paint the front door, finish power washing that last little bit of gutter and siding, wash the windows, and clear out the last of the clutter around here.
Changing responsibilities. My mom’s having back surgery tomorrow (Wednesday), which we are confident will go fine. Although she’s 89, she’s in pretty good shape overall and her spirits are really good, just her back is giving her fits, as she describes it. However this means that for a few weeks, she won’t be at home but will be in a nursing facility and it’s my welcome responsibility to help her choose a place to go to and to help her with whatever she needs there and when she gets home. I’m so grateful that my mom is still around that I don’t mind putting my needs second.
Changing food menu. This change is one I think I really will enjoy, however to continue my weight loss, I think this will be more of a challenge this year. Last year, I still had a good 40 pounds or more to lose, so there was less focus on lower points foods (cuz I could consume more), although I still managed to stay within my points. I find losing weight easier for me in the summer because of the readily available fresh fruits and vegetables. With cooler weather comes the tendency – at least for me – to want more comfort foods and baked items, so it will be a fun challenge to see what kind of tasty soups, stews, chili, and bakes I can make that are nutritious, low calorie/low fat, and still help me meet my goal.
Changing home decor. This is the fun part. I love changing the decorations around the mantles, tabletops, pillows and such with more warm, cozy items signifying holidays and family gatherings. This year, I’ll be back in the sewing room earlier than usual prepping for a new granddaughter due in March, plus trying to sew up all that fabric I’ve accumulated over the years.
What do you enjoy most about Autumn?
Tagged as:
activity,
autumn,
changing seasons,
cooking,
exercise,
fall,
family,
home decor,
Weight Loss,
Weight Watchers
