Easy to Make Soups in Under 20 Minutes

Sometimes there’s just nothing better than a warm comforting bowl of soup. But let’s face it, most canned soups don’t quite fit into a balanced Zone meal, and no one wants to slave over the stove cooking soup from scratch. If you’ve been reading my articles and blogs here for a while, you’ll know I’ve been following the Zone lifestyle for many years and I like to keep food simple, tasty, and quick without using formal recipes. The following are some of my favorite soups at my house. No cooking skills are needed. Feel free to add or delete ingredients to make these your own.  

Note that in the soups below containing Zone PastaRx, the broth will become more concentrated as it simmers. Depending on the salt content of the broth it might become too strong for your liking. At the end of cooking, I add about 1 cup of water to the chicken rice soup and a little less to the sausage and beans to accommodate and prevent them from being too salty.  

Quick Tortilla Soup   

Tip: I like to use “Trader Joe’s Salsa Autentica” for this soup. It gives good consistency and adds a little kick without being overpowering.  

Ingredients  

• 1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth  
• 1 12 oz. jar salsa (choose a thinner salsa, not thick and chunky)  
• 1 can of cooked black beans, drained  
• Small to moderate amount of frozen or canned corn, drained  
• Shredded mixed reduced fat Mexican cheeses  
• Small amount of reduced-fat tortilla chips  
• Optional: shredded cooked chicken    
• Garnishes of your choice.  

Directions  

1. Mix the broth, salsa, black beans, and corn in a 3-quart sauce pan and bring to a boil.  

2. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.   

3. serve, add a couple of tortilla chips, some shredded low-fat cheese, and the optional shredded chicken to each soup bowl. Ladle the soup over it. Garnish with avocado and lime.  

Chicken “Rice” Soup   

Tip: l rarely add the optional cooked chicken to this soup.  You won’t miss it. It’s the broth that gives this soup its strong chicken flavor.    

Ingredients   

• 1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth  
• 1 raw carrot, diced  
• 1 or 2 medium stalks celery, diced  
• Uncooked Zone Pasta Rx Orzo (I use about 1/2 to 3/4 cup per 1 quart of broth)  
• Optional: small bits of cooked chicken   

Directions 

1. Put all ingredients into a 3-quart saucepan and bring to a boil.  

2. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until the orzo is cooked.  

3. Serve immediately while steaming hot.  It also keeps well in the fridge for a few days.  

Sausage and White Bean Soup   

Ingredients  

• 1 quart (4 cups) broth of your choice   
• Fully cooked chicken sausage, sliced into rounds  
• 1/2 can white kidney beans, drained (or substitute cannellini beans, drained)  
• Seasonings of your choice to complement the flavors in the sausage (less is more in this case)  
• Fresh baby spinach   
• Optional: 1-2 handfuls uncooked Zone PastaRx Fusilli  
• Hot sauce for garnish  

Directions  

1. Place the broth, sausage, beans, and seasonings into a 3-quart saucepan.   

2. Bring to a boil and add the fusilli.   

3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the fusilli is cooked.  

4. Add the spinach and simmer another two or three minutes until it’s wilted. Serve garnished with hot sauce.   

Enjoy!