So here we are in the thick of winter, the perfect weather for soup?especially after a cold winter ride! I love thick, hearty soups, but unfortunately they aren’t always low calorie or healthy. Thankfully, today’s recipe (Pumpkin, Black Bean and Corn) is simple, tasty and good for you.
With a mix of pumpkin, black bean, corn, bacon (which is optional), onion, garlic and red pepper, as well as spices (ground cumin, ground ginger and ground nutmeg), it really makes for a delicious combination. A combo even my kids like! And while the recipe said to cook two slices of bacon in the soup pot (before adding everything else), I use the pre-cooked Hormel bacon pieces so I don’t have a whole thing of bacon sitting around. It works, and probably cut down on the fat content some since I eliminate all the bacon grease.
If you’re looking for another great one, try this Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice. This one isn’t quite as low calorie, but you can substitute a few things here and there to cut back. And served with a slice of homemade wheat bread, you’ll be satisfied for quite some time.
Ingredients
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, shredded
1 (4.5 ounce) package quick cooking long grain and wild rice with seasoning packet
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter (have fun experimenting with replacements or considering cutting the amount down a bit if you want to make this recipe healthier)
2 cups heavy cream (I use 2% milk as a healthy substitute)
Directions
In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth, water and chicken. Bring just to boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.
In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons, to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.
Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.
I hope you enjoy these recipes and they help warm you up after a nice winter ride. If you have any soup recipes to share please do!! I’d love to try them!
Join Us! Beat those winter doldrums with Dressage Today and SmartPak’s “New Year, New You Challenge: 31 days to wellness with your horse.” Opt-in to receive exclusive daily email tips by entering your email address in the form at this link:?http://media.aimmedia.com/equine/dressagetoday/DT-challenge-signup