Soup's On

I've always considered soup to be a classic comfort food. I still have fond memories of my mom making pots of homemade soup periodically. To that end, here are six yummy diabetic-friendly soup recipes to help you through the day, including Hearty Mushroom Barley Soup and New England Style Clam Chowder. Enjoy!

MINESTRONE SOUP

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 servings (about 1 cup each)

Source: Cooking with The Diabetic Chef

Book Title: Cooking with The Diabetic Chef

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/minestrone-soup.

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

1/4 medium carrot, finely diced

1/4 stalk celery, finely diced

2/3 teaspoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons leeks, finely diced

3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) canned tomatoes, chopped

1/2 medium zucchini, diced

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme

3/4 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced

3 cups chicken stock

3 ounces (about 1/2 cup) frozen spinach, chopped

3/4 cup white beans, cooked

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic and leek and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato, zucchini, thyme, oregano, and chicken stock. Bring the liquid to a simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the spinach and white beans. Return the liquid to a simmer for 20 minutes. Season with the salt and white pepper. Serve immediately and garnish with the Parmesan cheese.

Notes: Additional info: Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 3 g

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 110; Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 283 mg; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Protein: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1/2 Lean Meat, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

SOPA DE POLLO A LA MEXICANA - MEXICAN CHICKEN SOUP

Recipe Yield: Yield: 10 servings.Serving Size: 1-1/2 cups

Source: CanolaInfo

Recipe and image appear courtesy of CanolaInfo.org.

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/sopa-de-pollo-a-la-mexicana-mexican-chicken-soup.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp canola oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, sliced

4 celery stalks, sliced

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp red pepper flakes

8 cups low-sodium chicken stock

2/3 cup lentils

1 can (19 oz) tomatoes, chopped

3 medium carrots, thinly sliced

2 lbs cooked chicken, cubed

1 small zucchini, thinly sliced

1 cup frozen peas

1 small avocado, peeled and sliced

Directions

In Dutch oven, heat canola oil. Add garlic, onion and celery. Saute until vegetables are tender. Season with black pepper, cumin and red pepper flakes.

Add chicken stock, lentils, tomatoes and carrots. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes, or until carrots are tender.

Add chicken, zucchini and peas.

Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until vegetables are tender. Garnish with avocado slices.

Notes:

All of your favorite Mexican flavors mix together in this soup. ¡Muy delicioso!

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 250; Fat: 6 g;Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Fiber: 5 g; Sodium: 280 mg; Cholesterol: 75 mg; Protein: 33 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g

NEW ENGLAND STYLE CLAM CHOWDER

Recipe Yield: Servings: 6

Source: Suzi Castle's Deliciously Healthy Favorite Foods

Book Title: Suzi Castle's Deliciously Healthy Favorite Foods

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/new-england-style-clam-chowder

Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup water

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cans (6oz. each) chopped or minced clams (use clam juice)

3 packages (1 tsp each) chicken bouillon granules

4 cups low-fat (1% fat) milk

3 tbsp each: flour and cornstarch, mixed with 1/2 cup water in a blender

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1/4 cup very lean, cooked bacon bits

Directions

In a large, heavy soup pot sprayed with nonstick spray, stir-fry onion over medium heat until soft.

Add water, potatoes, clams and chicken bouillon granules. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add milk, flour-cornstarch mixture and pepper.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Ladle into 6 large soup bowls and garnish with bacon bits.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 177; Fat: 2.46 g; Sodium: 883 mg; Cholesterol: 23 mg; Protein: 12.8 g; Carbohydrates: 24 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 lean meat; 1 bread; 3/4 nonfat milk

HEARTY MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP

Recipe Yield: Prep Time: 25 Minutes - Cost: $; Servings: 8 - Difficulty Level: 2

Source: Suzi Castle's Deliciously Healthy Favorite Foods

Book Title: Suzi Castle's Deliciously Healthy Favorite Foods

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/hearty-mushroom-barley-soup

Ingredients

2 cups each: low-sodium chicken broth & water

1/2 cup barley

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 onion, chopped

1/2 pound mushrooms, thickly sliced

1/8 tsp pepper

5 ounces frozen peas

8 ounces cooked chicken breast, cubed

1 can (10-3/4oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup nonfat milk

Directions

In a covered pan, simmer chicken broth, water, and barley for 30 minutes.

Add carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms, and pepper. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add peas, chicken, soup, and milk. Simmer for 5 minutes longer.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 195; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 385 mg; Cholesterol: 24 mg; Protein: 11 g; Carbohydrates: 23 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 lean meat, 1-1/2 bread

HEARTY REUBEN SOUP

Recipe Yield: Servings: 8

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/hearty-reuben-soup.

Ingredients

1/2 cup canned low-sodium beef broth

1/2 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 cups fat-free evaporated milk or half-and-half cream

1 cup shredded corned beef

3/4 cup canned sauerkraut

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Bring beef and chicken broths, celery, onion and green pepper to a boil in a heavy saucepan; reduce heat. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the milk. Stir into soup and simmer until soup thickens.

Add corned beef and sauerkraut; heat through.

Stir in cheese just until melted. Do not allow to boil; season with pepper.

Notes:

A popular sandwich inspires a great soup! Start with the convenience of canned broth from your pantry. Then blend in the flavors of canned sauerkraut corned beef onion, bell pepper and celery, and then Swiss cheese to make this soup a family favorite.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 190; Fat: 4.5 g; Saturated Fat: 4.5 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 500 mg; Cholesterol: 40 mg; Protein: 17 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g

OLD-FASHIONED TOMATO SOUP

Yield: 4 servings

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/22.shtml

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/643.shtml

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. butter

1 onion, finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 can (28-oz.) diced tomatoes

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/8 tsp. ground mace

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbsp. snipped dill, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Melt the butter in a small Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute the onion until translucent, 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until the onions are golden, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the tomatoes with their juices, the sugar, thyme, mace and cayenne. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer the soup until the tomatoes and onion are soft, about 15 minutes.

Let the soup sit 20 minutes, uncovered. Transfer it to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and reduce the mixture to a puree, either pulpy or completely smooth, as desired. Blend in the half-and-half. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve the soup hot, sprinkling one-fourth of the dill over each bowl, if using.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 105; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 586 mg; Dietary Fiber: 0.5 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g; Exchanges: 1 Reduced-Fat Milk, 1 Vegetable