Bok Choy and Udon Noodle Soup

2 quarts vegetable broth

4 ounces Thai flavored baked tofu, cut into 1/4 x 1/2 inch pieces

3 cups sliced baby bok choy (stalks and leaves)

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 1/2 cups sliced carrots

I tablespoon Sayler's Mushroom Sauce or soy sauce

4 ounces udon noodles

1/4 cup sliced green onions

Place everything into a 4-5 quart pot except the noodles and onions.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Continue cooking until the carrots are almost done.

Add the noodles and simmer another 6-7 minutes

Add the green onion and remove from the heat.

Makes 9 1/2 cups.

86 calories a cup

This goes together very quickly- about 30 minutes from start to finish

If you can't find the Thai flavored baked tofu, use plain and add a little fresh ginger.

Just Great Stuff

Powdered Peanut Butter

Betty Lou's, Inc powdered peanut butter is the best!  I had given up peanut butter entirely because of the high calorie count in regular peanut butter.  Just Great Stuff is a nice alternative with just 45 calories per serving,  When I first read the label, I thought that the serving size must be awfully small, but it is not.  It is enough for two Trader Joe's Whole Wheat crumpets or a peanut butter sandwich.

It is easy to mix up- just two tablespoons of the powder and one tablespoon of water.  Stir and it's ready to eat.

Just Great Stuff is 100% organic, low fat, no cholesterol, low sodium and 4 net carbohydrates.

There are just 3 ingredients- organic peanuts, organic coconut sugar and sea salt.  Coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index than cane sugar.

The powder can be added to sauces, shakes, and other recipes where you would use peanut butter.

I like to make it a little thinner and pour it over the chocolate peanut butter ice 'cream' by SoDelicous.

Betty Lou's Inc is located in McMinnville, Oregon.  I am not paid to promote this product.  I just like it.

http://www.bettylousinc.com/products_category.php?id=7

Garbanzo beans are high in fiber, protein and minerals.  I like to eat garbanzo beans plain, tossed on a salad, add them to soup, but my favorite in made into hummus.  Hummus is a Middle Eastern food made from garbanzos, lemon, sesame tahini and usually some olive oil.  I have developed a hummus with no olive oil and just a little tahini.  Tahini is high in calories with (100 per tablespoon).  Even without the olive oil and just a little tahini, this is a nice smooth hummus.

Hummus

the juice of two lemons
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons sesame tahini
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 15 ounce cans of low salt garbanzo beans (or subsitute dried garbanzos that have been cooked)

Drain the garbanzo beans and reserve the liquid.  You will need it later.
Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times to chop the beans
Gradually add a little of the reserved bean liquid and run the food processor on a medium speed.
Keep adding the reserved lquid until you have the texture you desire.  We used about 3/4 cup of the reserved liquid.
Serve with pita bread, crackers, chips, fresh vegetables, use as a spread on a sandwich, etc

Makes 5 cups

Most hummus you buy in the store gives you the calorie count for 2 tablespoons.  I don't know anyone who can eat just 2 tablespoons, but here it is anyways:

2 tablespoons 37 calories
1/4 cup 74 calories
1/2 cup 148 calories
1 cup 296 calories

Product Review:  The pita bread shown in the photo is a small 3 inch pita.  Each pita has just 25 calories and no fat.  They are always quite fresh when we buy them at our local produce market.  They are produced by Aladdin Specialty Foods in Beaverton, Oregon

http://www.aladdinspecialtyfood.com/html/products.shtml

I am not paid to endorse any product.  I share the brands with you so can enjoy them as I do.

Summer Vegetable Soup

(Vegan, Non-fat, Low calorie)

You are probably wondering why I are making soup on July 1st.... well, I live in the cool, wet Pacific Northwest and soup sounded like a really good way to warm up today.

I love the fresh vegetables found in the summer.  All of the vegetables in the this soup are fresh, with the exception of the tomatoes.  We had a cold, wet spring and we have yet to see any really good tomatoes.

This looks like a lot of ingredients, but it goes together quickly.  Start to finish was one hour.

So here we go...



2 cups chopped onions

2 cups sliced mushrooms

2 cups chopped celery

2 cups sliced carrots (we like to use several differnt colors of carrots)

2 cups sliced zucchini

2 cups chopped bok choy

2 cups chopped eggplant (we used Asian eggplant and left the skin on)

2 ears fresh corn, cut off of the cob

1 cup cooked black beans (we had these handy in the freezer, but you could use any bean)

1 28 ounce can unsalted plum tomatoes and 1/2 cup water

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

6 cups water

Spray and 8 quart stock pot with spray olive oil.  Add the onions, mushrroms and celery.  Cook over medium high heat until translucent.

Add the remaining fresh vegetables, the beans, the 6 cups water the herbs, salt and pepper.

Place the tomatoes in a blender with 1/2 cup water.  Whirl for a few seconds to break up the tomatoes.  Pour inot the soup.

Cook over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes or until all of the vegetables are done.

Makes 14 cups.  Each cup has 63 calories.  Most soup bowls hold about 2 cups (126 calories)