You Don’t Need Milk….

With the cold temperatures only slightly budging I felt like soup was in order. I had bought a big bag of potatoes when they were on sale and still had some left over, some carrots, and celery so my choice was clear. A while back I posted my recipe for Poor Girl’s Chicken Barley Soup that I had created quite a few years back. I have always done my best to stretch food as far as I can and make it taste like I used all the good stuff! Today’s soup would probably horrify my mom because this isn’t anything like we use to eat when I was growing up.

I decided that I was in the mood for potato soup since I haven’t had it in a while. The reason I haven’t eaten it in so long is because the calorie count just about kills me. I love soup, but let’s be reasonable! With that being said I decided that it was my duty to come up with a potato soup that I could feel good about eating, and enjoy. (It really doesn’t do much good if you lower the calories on something and it isn’t tasty.) I almost second guessed myself a couple of times while I was creating this delicious soup, but stuck with my gut and am so glad that I did! This soup isn’t only low calorie, but it is velvety, easy to throw together, tasty, and cheap to make. You can’t beat that! (And for those of you who grew up with meat in your soup, you won’t even miss it!)

My potato soup is 128 calories for 1 cup of soup with 757 mg of potassium. That is huge! Campbell’s soup weighs in at about 180 calories per cup with only 400 mg of potassium. Other homemade potato soups, depending on the add ins, can range anywhere from 190 calories to 430 calories per serving! WOW!

This is a super thick soup and if eaten right away can be eaten as is, or if you like a thinner soup it can be watered down. Since I am the only person in my family that eats soup it turns into almost a condensed soup form once it has been put in the refrigerator, and even when extra water is added during the initial cooking process it firms up during the chill. So, for every 2/3 cup serving I am adding 1/3 cup of water when I reheat it. (Give or take a little depending on your personal preference) to make it a beautiful consistency. You are probably wondering how I got away without using milk. I used a simple trick that can be used in just about any soup, blending part of the whole ingredients. It makes the soup so creamy, and yummy it has the taste, and texture of a cream soup! Get ready to beat the pre spring chill sit back, relax, and enjoy!

What are some of your “must haves” when it comes to making soup?

Do you eat soup regularly in the colder months?

Penny Pincher Potato Soup

By Angie Gouchenour

 

6 servings

Ingredients

3 ½ cups of russet potatoes cubed (Leave the peels on)

2 medium carrots chopped

1 cup celery chopped (with the leaves)

2 cups low sodium vegetable broth + ¼ cup water

1 ½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions

In a medium sauce pan combine the potatoes, carrots, celery, vegetable broth, water, salt, and pepper

Bring the veggies, broth, and seasonings to a boil; boil until tender (Took mine 15 minutes)

Remove 2 cups of veggies and ½ cup of broth and carefully place in a blender; blend until smooth

Transfer the blended ingredients back into the pot with the leftover broth and veggies and combine

2/3 cup soup + 1/3 cup of water = 128 calories