Quick & Hearty Orzo Soup

Happy Thanksgiving, my loyal readers! Sorry for the delay in posting. I didn't make many healthy recipes during the holidays, I have to admit. Thanksgiving was spent at my parents' house in Maine. My parents and sisters don't really cook much, but we had the usual standards for the holiday. They consider me to be a bit of an overly adventurous chef, but I did bring some good stuff to the table. I made homemade gingersnaps to serve with Pumpkin Mousse Dip, the not-really-Thanksgiving-y, but nonetheless always requested Cooking Light Spinach Artichoke Dip, and a big spinach salad with roasted sweet potatoes, feta, and candied pecans. I made some delicious Brown Sugar Rosemary Pecans to add to my salad. Any weight I gain this week is likely due to my inability to keep my hand out of the pecan jar. 

After several days of utter gluttony, I needed to get back on track and cook something healthy. I also organized my overflowing cupboards and realized I had several open boxes of orzo. A little recipe hunting and voila - a healthy, incredibly easy orzo soup for this chilly Sunday night! I'm giving you two topping options below for both the spice lovers and the wusses out there. 

Original Inspiration:  101 Cookbooks

Serving Size: 6 servings

WW: 7 pointsplus (1 1/4 cups of soup, 2 tablespoons of tomato mixture, 1/2 ounce of either feta or parmesan)

Ingredients: 

7 cups vegetable broth (I used low-sodium Kitchen Essentials chicken stock, as it was all I had on hand)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat orzo

3-4 cups spinach or chard, chopped

3 egg whites

sea salt (to taste)

Topping options:  For either choice - make sure that your olive oil is good quality. In my opinion, the greener, the better. This soup is so simply flavored that you want the best quality ingredients you can find. Also, I recommend the Muir Glen Organic fire-roasted diced tomatoes. I stock up on them when I find them on sale. Great product. 

Spicy

14 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons harissa

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

6 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Mild

14 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

3 ounces fresh, grated parmesan cheese

Method:

Bring the broth to a boil in a soup pot or medium-sized dutch oven. Stir in the orzo and cook until tender, which should take around 8-10 minutes. Add the raw, chopped spinach. 

In a separate, small saucepan, add your tomatoes, evoo, and red pepper flakes or harissa and cook on low until warm. Taste and add salt, if needed. 

Right before you are ready to eat, whisk the egg whites into the soup quickly. The whites will give the soup almost a creamy consistency. Taste and add salt to the soup, if you need to brighten up the flavors a bit. I added a few turns of fresh ground black pepper as well. 

Serve in individual bowls each topped with the tomato mixture you chose and about a tablespoon (1/2 ounce) of cheese. 

This is such a quick and easy recipe - I had a hearty soup perfect for the cold weather on the table in less than 30 minutes. I served the soup with a heat and serve mini baguette that I had in the freezer. Fresh rolls or bread would be even better. Enjoy!

Frittata Muffins

My obsession with breakfast is becoming clear now, I suppose. This recipe is very frequent in my household, because they are so easy and versatile. You can really put any veggies, cheese, or meats you want in to them. I don't think I have ever made the same version twice. I make with full-fat cheese, but you could use reduced fat and bring the pointsplus down further.

Original Inspiration: Incredible Edible Egg website
Servings: 6 (2 muffins each serving)
WW: 3 pointsplus for 2

Ingredients:

16oz container fat-free egg substitute (you can use egg whites if you want, but I like them to be pleasantly yellow)
1/3 cup fat-free milk
2 ounces (1/4c.) flavorful cheese - feta, sharp cheddar, gruyere, or pepperjack all work great (don't use mozzarella or weak cheddar - it is too bland for this)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 c. diced zucchini
1/4 c. diced red pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine egg substitute, milk, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Add veggies and mix well (add feta at this point if that is the cheese you are using).

Spoon evenly into 12 greased muffin cups. Top each muffin cup with shredded cheese (if using shredded cheese).

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes (until they are just set). Cool muffin tin on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes. Remove from muffin tin and serve warm. These reheat well in the microwave.

Enjoy and get creative with the different ingredients you could add!

Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Muffins

I love quick & easy breakfasts that I can transport to work easily. This recipe initially sounded too bizarre for me to try, but I'm glad did! The original recipe called for 6 eggs, crisp bacon, & parsley. I thought I could make it healthier and taste better. Also, I hate parsley (ew). I have been thinking of trying to add a little more sweetness to this recipe on my next try - maybe 1T honey? I'll update if I find that to be a good addition.

Original Inspiration: Incredible Edible Egg website
Servings: 12 muffins
WW: 3 pointsplus per muffin

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cups egg substitute
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup apple, peeled and diced
• 2 pre-cooked chicken sausage links, diced (around 5 oz; I used Trader Joe's Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage - you could use 3 links and it wouldn't effect the p+, it just seemed too much with 3)
• 2 oz sharp cheddar or gruyere cheese (approximately 1/4 cup), chopped into small cubes or shredded
• cooking spray
  

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pepper in a large bowl.

Add egg substitute and applesauce and stir until moistened. Stir in cheese, chicken sausage, and apples. Spoon evenly into 12 3-inch muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake until tops are lightly browned - about 15-20 minutes.

Let cool on wire rack for 5 minutes and then remove from the pan. Serve warm or cool completely and store for 4-5 days.

These are tasty served cold or reheated in the toasted oven. These muffins are pretty filling. I was satisfied eating one muffin and a banana for breakfast all week.