Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

'Tis the season for colds, flus and germs in general! So there is no better time than now to share my recipe for chicken noodle soup. I promise it tastes better than anything you can get out of a can...and even when you are sick and your taste buds are seeminly on vacation, you will love this soup.

Ingredients
6 cups chicken stock (I prefer homemade but store bought will do)
500 grams broad egg noodles (more or less depending on how noodly you like it)
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced
2 tsp oil
1 tsp medium strength curry powder
2-3 large carrots, chopped
1 leek, chopped (green and white parts only)
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 cups cooked chicken, pulled apart (save time and use a freshly precooked chicken from grocery store)

What to do

• In a large stock pot or pan, heat oil.
• Sautee onion, carrots, jalapeno and celery for about 4 minutes, until onions are translucent.
• Add curry powder and stir for 30 seconds.
• Add stock and bring to boil.
• Add pasta.
• Cook according to time on pasta package for al dente. Al dente is important as pasta will cook more when reheated.
• Add chicken and heat through.
• Serve.

If desired separate into individual containers and freeze. I find the egg noodles have a better consistency and less texture change when defrosted than other pastas.

Butternut Squash & Sage Soup

Not your ordinary cup-a-soup!

I'm on a soup kick. Black bean, pumpkin, and chicken noodle soups...all made from scratch recently. This one is butternut squash and sage. The two flavours work really well together to make a creamy and hearty soup. But don't mistake the creaminess for calories...there is no cream in the recipe. In fact, the calorie count for a cup and a half is about 200.

You also have the option of steaming or roasting the squash. I prefer the roasting method as it brings out more flavour and natural sweetness of the squash. If you choose to steam it peel and chop the squash into 2 inch chunks before steaming. If you roast it, I recommend 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Just cut the squash lengthwise in half and rub with a little olive oil and salt. Place on a pan cut side down. Once roasted and cool enough to touch, scrape out squash and you're ready to go.

Ingredients
3 medium size butternut squash
1 large sweet vidalia onion, chopped
1 medium leek, chopped (white and light green parts only)
1 apple, peeled and cored, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups of stock (chicken or vegetable)
2 tsp oil
1-1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp pepper
salt to taste

What to do

• Steam or roast squash as discussed above.
• Add oil to frying pan and saute onion, leek and apple over medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Add pepper, garlic and sage. Saute for another minute.
• Add stalk and squash.
• Bring to boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes.
• Using immersion blender, puree soup. If using a regular blender, puree in batches.
• Salt to taste.
• Enjoy now or freeze for later!

Pumpkin-Apple Soup

Normally, I wouldn't be jumping back on the pumpkin band wagon so soon after the holidays but this soup is just too good to resist. And it is a great option for anyone who is hanging on to their New Year Resolution of eating in a healthy, low-fat and high fibre kind-of-way! It has less than 100 calories in a cup (makes 8 cups), 5 grams of fibre and 4 grams of protein.

I often make a batch and freeze this soup in individual servings. During the week I just pull them out for lunches as needed.

Adapted from the New Complete Cookbook
Ingredients
2 teaspoons cumin
1 large spanish onion, chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp smoked paprika or cayenne pepper
4-5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 cans (15 ounces) real  pumpkin (NOT pie fillling)
1/2 cup apple sauce, unsweetened
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbsp lime juice, optional
thyme sprigs for garnish

What to do

• Heat oil in a large pot and cook onions until translucent - about five minutes.
• Add cinnamon, paprika, and cumin. Stir for 30 seconds or until fragrant (do not burn!).
• Add all remainng ingredients.
• Using a hand blender, carefully puree soup.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
• If using lime juice add just before serving.
• Garnish dishes with thyme sprigs.

Enjoy!

Note: If you don't have a hand blender, add onions mixture to blender and add 1 cup of stock. Puree. Pour back into pot and add the rest of the ingredients. Continue as directed.