The Everything Low-Glycemic Cookbook: Includes Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Bars, Parmesan Artichoke Dip, Creamy Cauliflower Soup, Mushroom Pork Medallions, ... Biscotti ...and hundreds more! (Everything®) (28 page)

Beans make for a very nutritious meal and can be flavored with a variety of different meats and seasonings. Try flavoring the soup with a ham bone (which you must remove before puréeing or serving) or browned sausage. You could even flavor the beans with dried bay leaves or Italian seasoning.

1. In a large pot, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 3–4 minutes. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and leave the bacon fat in the pot. Crumble the bacon. Add garlic, onion, and chilies to the pot. Sauté over medium-high heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
   
2. Stir in the black beans, beef broth, tomato juice, rum, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
   
3. You may either purée the soup or serve it as is. Garnish with any or all of the suggestions.
   

Per Serving: Calories: 206 | Fat: 5 g | Protein: 11 g | Sodium: 875 mg | Fiber: 7 g | Carbohydrates: 27 g | Sugar: 3 g | GI: Low

This comforting soup stands alone as a healthful and satisfying meal.

Chicken and rice soup is a classic American comfort food. This recipe replaces the egg noodles with brown rice and omits the high-glycemic veggies to keep the soup low on the glycemic index and extremely flavorful. This is a guilt-free meal!

1. Wash the chicken and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper and chop into 1"-thick pieces.
   
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat and sauté the chicken pieces for 6–8 minutes, until they are well done. Set the chicken aside.
   
3. Heat the remaining oil in a large pot, and sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add the celery and carrot to the pot and cook for 5 minutes.
   
4. Add the chicken broth, thyme, cooked chicken, cabbage, bay leaves, water, and rice to the pot. Simmer the soup for 30 minutes or until the rice is completely cooked. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
   

Per Serving: Calories: 263 | Fat: 10 g | Protein: 24 g | Sodium: 499 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Carbohydrates: 19 g | Sugar: 2 g | GI: Low

There are many versions of this excellent soup, which tastes wonderful either hot or chilled. Some recipes have chunky potatoes, and others are smooth—you can prepare this one whichever way you prefer.

1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup kettle on medium. Rinse the sand out of the leeks. Add the leeks and onion and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat.
   
2. Add the potatoes, chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer until the potatoes are tender. Set aside to cool.
   
3. Put the soup through a ricer or purée it in the blender until smooth.
   
4. Pour the soup back into the pot; add the milk, whipping cream, and chives and reheat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Float the watercress on top for garnish.
   

Per Serving: Calories: 491 | Fat: 33 g | Protein: 8 g | Sodium: 1,345 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Carbohydrates: 40 g | Sugar: 5 g | GI: Moderate

This is a substantial soup that will get you through a long winter!

Put all ingredients in a soup kettle, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.

Per Serving: Calories: 188 | Fat: 5 g | Protein: 18 g | Sodium: 499 mg | Fiber: 9 g | Carbohydrates: 19 g | Sugar: 3 g | GI: Low

This is a wonderful summer soup served cold or it can be heated on a cold winter’s day. It is also good for you! The red tomatoes are full of vitamin C. (The amount of vitamin C in tomatoes increases as they ripen.) This soup also freezes beautifully!

1. In the blender, purée the tomatoes, beef broth, wine, garlic powder, basil, salt, and pepper. Chill overnight. Add the garnish at the last minute.
   
2. If serving the soup hot, garnish it with grated Cheddar or Parmesan cheese.
   

Per Serving: Calories: 60 | Fat: 0 g | Protein: 2 g | Sodium: 609 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Carbohydrates: 11 g | Sugar: 3 g | GI: Very low

This quick and easy soup will give you a taste of the Mediterranean.

Littleneck clams are the smallest variety of hard-shell clams and can be found on the northeastern and northwestern coasts of the United States. They have a sweet taste and are delicious steamed and dipped in melted butter, battered and fried, or baked.

1. In a dutch oven or stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat, and add the onion, garlic, and fennel. After 10 minutes, stir in the wine and clam broth and add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil.
   
2. Drop the clams into the boiling liquid. When the clams start to open, add the mussels. When the mussels start to open, add the shrimp, basil, salt, and pepper flakes. Serve when the shrimp turns pink.
   

Per Serving: Calories: 450 | Fat: 18 g | Protein: 48 g | Sodium: 1,355 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Carbohydrates: 19 g | Sugar: 2 g | GI: Very low

This stew is fresh and easy to make and has a whole lot of flavor. The recipe calls for halibut, but just about any meaty whitefish will do.

1. Place a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil to the pan and sauté the onions for 2–3 minutes. Add wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape the pan to loosen the small bits of onion.
   
2. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3–4 minutes; then add the broth and clam juice to the pan. Stir in the spinach and allow it to wilt while continuing to stir.
   
3. Season the fish with pepper, place the fish in the pan, and cook for 5–6 minutes until opaque. Mix in the cilantro before serving.
   

Per Serving: Calories: 157 | Fat: 7 g | Protein: 19 g | Sodium: 321 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Carbohydrates: 7 g | Sugar: 1 g | GI: Very low

This rich and velvety soup will warm you from the inside out.

1. Heat the oil in a pot on medium, and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent.
   
2. Add the chicken stock, peas, and tarragon to the pot. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer for 8 minutes.
   
3. Remove the soup from the heat, allow it to cool slightly, and then purée the soup in a food processor or blender. Season the soup with the pepper.
   
4. Place bacon under a broiler and cook until crispy, about 3–5 minutes.
   
5. Serve the soup garnished with crumbled bacon and sour cream.
   

Per Serving: Calories: 290 | Fat: 14 g | Protein: 14 g | Sodium: 305 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Carbohydrates: 28 g | Sugar: 8 g | GI: Moderate

Some recipes for cucumber soup call for cooking the cucumber. This one “cooks” it in the acidity of lemon juice.

Silica, a chemical known for improving the health and complexion of the skin, is found in cucumber juice. Cucumber is used to treat puffy eyes and ease sunburn. Other compounds in cucumbers are said to prevent water retention and dermatitis. Cool cucumbers are soothing and refreshing.

1. Mix all the ingredients except the garnish and purée them in a blender until smooth. Place the soup in a glass or nonreactive bowl (to avoid staining with the acidic citrus).
   
2. Let the soup rest in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
   
3. Taste and add seasonings if necessary before serving in chilled bowls, topped with garnish.
   

Per Serving: Calories: 145 | Fat: 3 g | Protein: 11 g | Sodium: 1,321 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Carbohydrates: 21 g | Sugar: 12 g | GI: Very low

Cauliflower, a cruciferous vegetable, contains compounds that may prevent cancer.

1. Heat the oil in a large pot, and sauté the onion and celery until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add the cauliflower and chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   
2. Purée the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth.
   
3. Return the soup to the pot and bring the temperature to medium-low heat. Add the cheese, salt, and pepper, continue to cook and stir until the cheese is melted and well integrated.
   
4. Stir the milk into the soup. Add more chicken stock if the consistency is too thick.
   

Per Serving: Calories: 291 | Fat: 18 g | Protein: 17 g | Sodium: 612 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Carbohydrates: 16 g | Sugar: 4 g | GI: Low

This is a hearty and delicious soup. If you don’t want to work with fresh spinach, you may use frozen, chopped spinach, or even substitute escarole or kale. Some sausage is so lean that you will need to add a bit of oil when you cook it.

This recipe can easily be transformed into a vegetarian delight. Substitute vegetarian sausage for regular sausage Italian sausage and use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.

1. Place the sausage in a soup kettle. Add
   ³
   ⁄
   ₄
   cup water and bring it to a boil; let the water boil off. Add the oil if the kettle becomes dry, and sauté the onions, garlic, and celery for 10 minutes over medium-low heat.
   
2. Stir in the rest of the ingredients except the cheese; cover and simmer the soup for 35 minutes. Serve in heated bowls. Garnish with grated Parmesan.