Cholesterol free soups

A vegatarian diet, in effect extends each phase of life. Children grow up more gradually, reach puberty later, are much less likely to die of heart disease or cancer in mid life, and over all live years longer than people raised on typical Western diets.

This has a great flavor, is cholesterol free and heart healthy.

CHOLESTEROL FREE TOMATO BISQUE
1 small onion 3 stalks of celery sliced
1 28 ournce can tomatos, with liquid 2 3/4 teaspoons raw sugar or other sweetner
3/4 teaspoons paprika 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon black teaspoon 2 teaspoons of oil
3 tablesp;oons of flour 2 cups of water of stock
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Place onion, celery, tomatoes and seasonings in a kettle and simmer 15 minutes. Using a blender, puree until smooth. Do this in 2or maore small batches using only low speed. Hold th lid on the blender tightly to prevent the contents from exploding outof the top.
At this point, you may strain the soup or not, depending on your taste. Left unstrained, it will contain small chunks of onion and celery as well as tomato seeds. If you want a perfectly smooth soup, use a strainer.
In the original kettle, whisk the oil and flour together. Cook 30 seconds, then whisk in 2 cups of stock or water until smooth. Stir in the blended tomato mixture, ad salt t tast, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
It is optonal if you want to garnish with parsley before serving.

SERVES 6 TO 8

With pasta and lots of good veggies, you have a nourishing
ITALIAN VEGETABLE SOUP

2 medium carrots 1 small onion, chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced 2 cans(14 1/2 ounce each ) beef broth
1 can 14 1/2 ounces diced tomatoes undrained
2 cups water 1 small zucchini diced 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 can of kidney beans
1 cup chopped fresh spinach or cabbage 3/4 cup uncooked elbow macaroni 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley.
1 medium stalk of celery.
Garnish with shredded veggie cheese if desired

1. In a dutch oven, saute carrots, and onion and celery in oil until tender. Add garlic, cook 1 and a half minutes longer. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, water, zucchini, basil, salt, oregano, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes..

2. Stir in the kidney beans, spinach, macaroni and parsley. Cover and cook 25 minutes longer or until macaroni is tender.
Garnish with Veggie cheese if desired.

SUSAN'S SEASONED LOW CHOLESTEROL POTATO SOUP

3 medium potatoes peeled and diced 2 cups of water
1 large onion, chopped 1/4 cup of margarine, cubed
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour 1/8 teaspoon salt
1//4 teaspoon dried thyme 1 stalk of celery
1/4 teaspoon of dried rosemary, crushed 1.2 teaspoon of pepper
1 -1/2 cups of skim fat free milk or rice milk 1/8 teaspoon of basil

1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; coiver and sinmer 15 to 20 minutes or until tender.

2. Meanwhile in another large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Meanwhile in another larg saucepan, saute onion and celery . Stir in the flour, salt thyme, rosemary, and pepper until blended. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add potatoes with cooking liquid; heat through.
Serves 5

SWEET POTATO WITH PEAR SOUP
4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium) peeled and cubed.
1 3/4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large pears , peeled and sliced
1 medium onion chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons of Smart Balance buttery spread (which is cholesterol free of course)
3/4 cup white grape juice
1 1/2 cups of soy milk
1/2 teaspoon of white pepper

1. In a large saucepan, combine the sweet potatoes, water, 3/4 teaspoon salt and cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 -20 minutes or until tender.

2. Meanwhile, in another large saucepan, cook and stir the pears and onion in buttery spread over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in grape juice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes. Stir into the sweet potato mixture. Cool slightly.

3. In a blender, cover and puree soup in batches; return all to the pan. Stir in the soy milk, pepper and remaining salt; heat through (do not boil).

Yield 5 servings

SUSAN'S CHOLESTEROL FREE MINESTRONE SOUP
Eat Heart Healthy with healthy vegetables. This is a delicious and nourishing soup. Of course you can make your own variation by adding or deleting some of the items you prefer.
Add this delicious healthy recipe to your recipe book.

1 small onion
2 medium carrots diced
1 garlic clove minced
3 cups of tomato juice
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 cup pasta shells
2 1/2 cups chopped spinach
1 cup green beasns, canned, frozen or fresh
3 1/2 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup f Navy beans or kidney beans
1 medium zucchinhi, diced
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped or dried parsley
2 mediumpotatoes diced
1 28 ounce can of plumtomatoes, cut in quarters
Salt and Pepper to Taste

1. Heat 1/2 cup of water in large kettle. Add the oion and cook over meium heat, stirring frequesntly. Add the tomato juice, remaining water, garlic, carrots and celery, green beans, potatoes, parseley and basil.
Bring to a sime and cover and cook 20 minutes
2. Add remaining ingredients except salt and pepper, and simer an additional 20 to 30 minutes.
3. You cn add additional tomato juice or water if the soup becomes too thick.
4. Add Salt and Peppe to taste.

SUSAN'S GUMBO SOUP WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH
1 MEDIUM ONION
1 GREEN BELL PEPPER SLICED
2 STALKS OF CELERY
4 CLOVES OF GARLIC MINCED
1 RED BELL PEPPER DICED
1 BOX ORGANIC VEGETABLE BROTH
1 28 OUNCE CAN TOMATOES
2 CUPS OF OKRA
2 TEASPOONS FINELY GROUND GINGER
1 TEASPOON DRIED THYME
1 TEASPOON PAPRIKA
1 TEASPOON GROUND COUMIN
1/2 TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER
1 CUP DICED ZUCCHINI
1/2 CUP DICED BUTTERNUT SQUASH
1/2 TEASPOON SOY SAUCE
15 OUNCE CAN NAVY BEANS
2/3 CUP BROWN RICE

1. BRAISE THE ONION IN GARLIC BROTH UNTIL ONION IS SOFT. ADD TOMATOES, BROTH, GREEN PEPPERS, CELERY, OKRA, GINGER AND SEASONINGS.
2. ADD THE DRIED ZUCCHINI SQUASH AND NAVY BEANS WITH THEIR LIQUID.
3. COVER AND COOK UNMTILO THE ZUCCHINI AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH UNTIL JUST ABOUT TENDER.
4. ADD SOY SAUCE TO TASTE.