I don’t know about you, but I love having a nice hearty soup waiting for me in the fridge, especially on weeknights. I find myself making large pots of soups on Sundays which in turn carry me through the week with leftovers for lunches and an easy dinner.  I love soups just like this Italian Tomato and Lentil Soup with Spinach, full of wholesome protein and vegetables – basically everything you need for a good quick meal in a bowl.

This vegetarian Lentil Soup recipe is especially great for those of you who are trying to incorporate more meatless meals into your daily diet. It’s very filling and satisfying and you can even give it a little more protein and texture by adding broken pieces whole wheat spaghetti or pasta to it (whole wheat pastas are a great way to bump up protein). I love to serve it with grated parmesan cheese (freshly grated if you have it or use my favorite shredded Parmigiano Reggiano from Costco).

Are lentils healthy?

Lentils are not only a staple in an Italian kitchen, but also a vegetarian one. They are a complex carbohydrate and are high protein as well as fiber. They are also naturally gluten-free. It’s no secret they are an absolute powerhouse when it comes to nutrition. If you are looking to boost your protein intake, lentils make a great choice!

More healthy lentil recipes to try:

Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Slow Cooker Lentil and Quinoa Chili

Lentil Salad with Carrots and Cilantro

So delicious.

This Italian Lentil Soup recipe makes a lot of soup – about 15 cups of soup and about 8-10 servings, based on serving size. I like to freeze my leftover soup in 4 cup glass Pyrex containers like these (affiliate link). To defrost, set in refrigerator overnight and warm slowly in a pot over medium heat or in individual bowls in microwave. Add additional liquid if needed.

Ingredients for Italian Tomato and Lentil Soup

How To Make Italian Tomato and Lentil Soup

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil and add diced carrots, celery, onion, pepper and minced garlic. Season with 2 pinches of salt and fresh ground pepper. Saute vegetables in oil for about 7-10 minutes until soft and fragrant.
2. Add lentils, diced tomatoes, vegetable or chicken stock and water to vegetable mixture. Add 2 more pinches of salt.
3. Bring soup to a slow boil over medium high heat for a few minutes, then back down to a simmer over low heat. Simmer, with lid half on, for about 35-40 minutes stirring occasionally, until soup starts to thicken.
4. Taste for salt and pepper as its cooking and add more water if it gets too thick. The lentils will absorb most of the liquid in the soup while cooking but you’ll still want it to have liquid once done cooking.
5. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add fresh spinach leaves to soup and gently stir to combine.
6. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and lots of it!

Healthy Soup Recipes

Soup is one of my go to meals when I’m trying to trim some pounds or just generally feel healthier. Some soups I tend to make often are  Slow Cooker Italian Sausage and Kale Soup with Sweet Potatoes, Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup, Italian Vegetable Beef Soup and Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup.

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 24 reviews

Italian Tomato and Lentil Soup with Spinach

• Author: Aggie Goodman
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minites
• Total Time: 0 hours
• Yield: 8-10 servings
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stove
• Cuisine: Vegetarian

Print

Pin

---

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 carrots, diced
• 2–3 celery stalks, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1lb dried lentils
• 2 15 oz cans diced Italian tomatoes, with liquid
• 4 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock
• 5 cups water
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 4 pinches kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, divided
• 10 oz bag fresh spinach
• fresh grated Parmesan, for serving

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil and add diced carrots, celery, onion, pepper and minced garlic. Season with 2 pinches of salt and fresh ground pepper. Saute vegetables in oil for about 7-10 minutes until soft and fragrant.
2. Add lentils, diced tomatoes, vegetable or chicken stock and water to vegetable mixture. Add 2 more pinches of salt.
3. Bring soup to a slow boil over medium high heat for a few minutes, then back down to a simmer over low heat. Simmer, with lid half on, for about 35-40 minutes stirring occasionally, until soup starts to thicken.
4. Taste for salt and pepper as its cooking and add more water if it gets too thick. The lentils will absorb most of the liquid in the soup while cooking but you’ll still want it to have liquid once done cooking.
5. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add fresh spinach leaves to soup and gently stir to combine.
6. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and lots of it!

---

Notes

This recipe makes about 15 cups of soup and about 8-10 servings, based on serving size. I like to freeze my leftover soup in 4 cup glass Pyrex containers like these (affiliate link). To defrost, set in refrigerator overnight and warm slowly in a pot over medium heat or in individual bowls in microwave. Add additional liquid if needed.

The post Italian Tomato and Lentil Soup with Spinach appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

Is everyone ready for a bit of a detox this week or what? I enjoyed every bite of my long holiday weekend but I am so ready to feed my body better and move it more this week, that’s for sure. Our Thanksgiving was full of delicious food (plus a few days after), and I don’t really feel like I over did it for the most part – except for in the dessert category. Whoa. I’m disturbed by the amount of pie that has been consumed in my house over the last few days. I don’t normally go crazy over sweets, but pie, I really do love pie. I had so many different kinds of pies tempting me this weekend…well, let’s say I’ve had enough pie for a while. No more pie please.

Let’s have soup instead. Lots of soup. I made this soup a couple of weeks ago when I was feeling under the weather and ate it for days. I stuck a little in the freezer and am so glad I did because it’s coming out this week to help me get back on track. Though, I could easily make another pot, it’s easy enough and all of it’s ingredients are staples and can be most likely be found in any kitchen.

(more…)

The post Minestrone Soup appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

Ahhh, soup. It does the body good right? I’ve always loved making soups (what I normally refer to as “detox soups”) on a Sunday that would carry me through the week for healthy lunches and dinners. My “detox soup” recipes are usually vegetable and bean base and occasionally I’ll add in a healthy grain or lean meat like chicken. I haven’t actually cooked up a pot of good soup  in a while and knowing that I’m going to have a few baby pounds to lose in the upcoming months, I am mentally preparing myself for it by looking through some of my archives and pulling some of my most favorite soup recipes that will not only make me feel good, but will also make life easier as far as eating goes with a newborn at home. There’s nothing easier than heating up a bowl of soup for lunch or dinner when you just don’t have the time to cook or have your hands full with other things (or babies… 🙂 ).

Making a big pot of soup only takes about 10-15 minutes as far as prep goes, then once it gets into the pot all is easy peasy. It cooks up in an hour or so and from there my family and I have plenty of healthy bowls of goodness ahead of us. My kids are finally starting to enjoy soup so it’s becoming a great way to get some extra veggies into their growing bodies.

Here are a few of my healthy favorites already featured on Aggie’s Kitchen that you may have missed or forgotten. Enjoy!

Spinach, Tomato and Lentil Soup

Pasta Shells and Bean Soup

Hearty Kale, Tomato and White Bean Soup

White Bean and Spinach Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken and White Bean Soup with Quinoa

The post From the Archives: My 5 Favorite Healthy Soups appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

I don’t know about you, but whenever I see rain in the forecast I secretly hope for one of those good, dark rainy days that makes it totally ok to get in your sweats, lounge around, eat bowls of hot soup and do nothing for hours. That is, of course, if you have no reason to be anywhere but your couch. When you realize you have a doctor’s appointment or a birthday party or you’re out of all kinds of food and have to run to the grocery store – well, that’s not the kind of day I’m talking about here.

I’m talking about waking up on a Sunday morning, a day with no plans, and looking out the window to see ominous clouds crowding into your normally bright and shiny blue sky. Even my kids know what those kind of days mean, as a matter of fact, they call those days “cozy”. Yes, I’ve successfully brainwashed my kids to talk and think like me over the years (I highly recommend it).

We had one of those “cozy” days a couple of Sundays ago. It was the day after my daughter’s 6th birthday party, my husband had unfortunately come down with a case of bronchitis and I was particularly feeling a tad bit spent. A lazy rainy day was exactly what we all needed.

(more…)

The post Corn and Potato Chowder appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

Today’s post is full of all kinds of good stuff. As you may know, I’ve been working with Bush’s Beans for a few years now. Beans are a big part of my diet and I like to include them in many of the recipes that I make, especially warm and comforting soups like this Pasta Shells and Beans soup I made recently. I mentioned I’ve been on a soup kick lately, cooking up a big pot on the weekend and enjoying it for lunch and quick dinners throughout the week. This soup is so simple – and so so good – full of veggies, beans and whole grain pasta – it truly hits the spot, especially on cold winter day.

The beans add a slight natural creaminess to the soup, that makes it a little extra special – and it just gets better and better as it sits in the fridge for a couple of days. I was inspired to make this soup after remembering one of my favorite soups my mom made for us at home when I was younger, a soup many of you are probably familiar with as Pasta e Fagioli (aka Pasta Fazul). I’ve seen this soup made in so many different ways, but my family’s version was just like this one, though with ditalini pasta instead of whole wheat shell pasta. I loved the added nutrition from the whole grain pasta and can’t wait to make another pot.

I’m sharing with you this wholesome and delicious soup recipe to kick off a Winter Comfort Food Recipe Exchange hosted by Bush’s Beans, Real Mom Kitchen and myself. Our goal is to grow and share a collection of your favorite recipes that you find comforting in the winter using beans. By sharing your favorite winter comfort food bean recipes here in the link up, you’ll also have a chance to win a gorgeous Le Creuset Cast Iron French Oven along with coupons for Bush’s Beans and a $100 Visa gift card! See below recipe for all the details.

  (more…)

The post Pasta Shells and Beans Recipe and Bush’s Beans Winter Comfort Food Recipe Exchange and Giveaway appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

Somehow, I’ve avoided the “winter blues” this year. I know a lot of it has to do with the truly beautiful weather we’ve been getting here in Florida, a blue sky and bright sun never hurt anyone that’s for sure.  I’ve been staying active, getting my workouts in, as well as spending the month of January really getting my house in order…lots of decluttering, deep cleaning and freshening up. I’ve kept myself so busy that I haven’t really had time to settle into that funk that I tend to settle into after the holidays.

I think what I’ve been eating and cooking has also played into it too. Lately I’ve been finding myself cooking up a huge pot of soup or chili on Sunday or Monday, and having it for dinner and lunches throughout the week. When I think of soup or chili, I think of big bowls of comfort, especially during the cooler months. Once it’s cooked up, it can last for days as leftovers and right now, for me, that’s a really good thing.

When I make soup, it’s all about nutrition. I try to pack in as many vegetables, beans and sometimes lean protein as possible. I don’t like to feel gross after eating soup or chili, I like to feel good. This Two-Bean Turkey and Vegetable Chili makes me feel good. It truly hits the spot when you don’t have time to make lunch or you need a dinner that pulls a double duty. I enjoyed this chili as is for days, but my husband and kids loved it over whole wheat macaroni. However it’s eaten, I know you’ll enjoy it.

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

Bush’s Two-Bean Turkey and Vegetable Chili

• Author: Aggie's Kitchen
• Category: Ground Turkey
• Method: Stove

Print

Pin

---

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 bell peppers (any color), chopped
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• big pinch salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 15 oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 can Bush’s Red Kidney Beans, drained
• 1 can Bush’s Pinto Beans, drained
• 3 cans of water (I use tomato cans to use all the leftover flavor)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. In a large heavy bottomed soup pot, cook ground turkey and onion until browned. Add carrots, bell peppers and seasonings and cook for 5-8 minutes until veggies are softened. Add tomatoes, beans and water to pot. Bring to a slow boil. Turn down heat and let simmer for 20-25 minutes until chili starts to thicken. Taste for salt and pepper, most likely it will need salt. Adjust to taste.

**Stay tuned for the Bush’s Beans Winter Comfort Foods Virtual Recipe Exchange and Linkup hosted here and on Real Mom Kitchen on February 4th. You’ll have a chance to link up your favorite Winter Comfort Food recipes that include beans for a chance to win a pretty nice giveaway (that may or may not include a big and pretty heavy pot 😉 ). Get your recipes ready!!

(I am in a paid partnership with Bush’s Beans. All opinions are my own)

Linking to:

The post Bush’s Two-Bean Turkey and Vegetable Chili appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

Last week, my son and I were feeling a little under the weather. After talking with friends and other people around school, it didn’t sound like we were the only ones either. ‘Tis the season…

When I’m not feeling my best, I tend to either eat really junky or really well. I usually regret when I go the junky route (and feel worse!) so I forced myself to pull out what I had in my fridge and pantry last week and pull together this Feel Good soup. This soup warmed up my bones and made my belly happy. I ate 3 big bowls of it in one day and immediately started to feel better. I wish I could tell you my kids enjoyed this along with me, but they are not in a soup loving phase right now – working on that. But, my husband helped himself to some and went back for seconds.

I served the soup with a heaping scoop of my favorite rice blend that I pick up at Costco – good stuff. Also, the soup base that I love to use when making soups is Better Than Bouillon Organic Reduced Sodium Chicken Base that I find at Costco as well, find a review with more soup recipe from Kayln of Kalyn’s Kitchen here.

(more…)

The post Feel Good Food: Kale, Mushroom and Bean Soup appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

I don’t know about you, but chili is definitely one of my many favorite fall foods. I love pumpkin, I love apples, I love all the funky looking squashes – there really are so many fall foods to love aren’t there?

Fall doesn’t officially start for another week, but I have already started craving chili as I’m sure some of you have too. There’s nothing like a pot of chili bubbling on the stovetop on a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon, while football is playing in the background. I made this season’s first pot of chili earlier in the week and am looking forward to many more…especially after browsing all of my favorite blogs for new ideas. My stomach is officially growling…

These 35 mouthwatering chili recipes will surely get you in the fall chili making mood:

(more…)

The post 35 Chili Recipes To Kick Start Fall appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

I try to listen to my body when it comes to cravings. I have heard often enough that when your body is craving certain foods, it could mean that maybe it needs or is lacking a certain nutrient that is found in the food you are craving.

Or that could all be baloney and you’re really just hungry, obsessed with food, stubborn or all of the above. I choose all of the above (most of the time).

(more…)

The post Turkey Chili with Bush’s Pinto Beans and Mushrooms appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

This is my first time participating in Kitchen Play’s Progressive Party and I’m happy to be be bringing some of this delicious Italian Fish and Potato Stew made with this month’s featured ingredient – potatoes.

When I initially started thinking about creating a soup with potatoes, I immediately started thinking of creamy soups. I might be in the minority here, but I don’t get excited about creamy soups. Then I remembered that most chowders, specifically my favorite type of chowder – Manhattan style – usually have potatoes in them. Ding ding ding! Since I had a nice piece of cod in the freezer already, I picked up some red and white potatoes along with a few other ingredients and put together this comforting, straight forward soup that was enjoyed on a dreary rainy afternoon.

This Italian Fish and Potato Stew is actually inspired by a stewed cod fish dish my grandfather makes every Christmas Eve. It’s hearty, and perfectly satisfying. It’s chock full of good clean vegetables like potatoes, celery, onion, tomatoes and garlic. I brightened it up a bit with a little clam juice and fresh squeezed lemon. At the end I threw in some roughly chopped green and kalamata olives along with the chunks of fish. It is absolutely delicious, and incredibly good for your health and for your soul.

I chose white and red potatoes for the soup because I knew they would hold up well in the hot liquid. I diced the potatoes just small enough so that they would cook up at close to the same rate as the other veggies in the soup. Adding potatoes to a healthy soup like this is a great way to add a little extra nutrition, since they are naturally fat free, high in vitamin C and great sources of fiber and potassium.

Now that is my kind of soup.

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

Kitchen Play – Italian Fish and Potato Stew

• Author: Aggie's Kitchen
• Category: Fish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian

Print

Pin

---

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, small dice
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 celery stalks, small dice
• 2 red potatoes, small dice
• 1 large white potato, small dice
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• pinch salt and pepper
• 1 28 oz can of Italian diced tomatoes
• 1 8 0z bottle of clam juice
• 4 cups of broth (chicken or vegetable – I used 4 cups water swirled from tomato can and added a tablespoon vegetable bouillon)
• juice from 1 large lemon
• 1 1/2 lbs fresh or frozen cod fish (or any other firm white fish), cut in 1″ – 1 1/2 ” pieces
  handful of roughly chopped green and kalamata olives
• additional salt and pepper, to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil and add onion, garlic, celery and potato. Season with thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes until slightly softened. Add tomatoes, clam juice, lemon juice and broth. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for about 20 minutes, until potatoes are soft. Add pieces of fish and olives to soup and gently stir. Continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes until fish is cooked through. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
2. Serve with whole grain bread, crackers or on it own.

Stay inspired to include potatoes into your diet by checking out the US Potato Board’s Facebook page or by signing up for the US Potato Board weekly recipe email here.

The post Kitchen Play – Italian Fish and Potato Stew appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.