A nice and healthy vegetable soup to enjoy on a cold day. Adding leftover turkey would be a nice touch. This recipe is from USA Weekend.

• One 15.5-ounce can cannellini or other small white beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
• 1 Tb. olive oil
• 1/2  large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium carrot, diced (about ½ cup)
• 2 stalks celery, diced (about ½ cup)
• 1 small zucchini (about ½ pound), diced (about 1½ cups)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)
• 1 Tb. chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried
• 2 tsps. chopped fresh sage or ½ tsp. dried
• 1/2  tsp. salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4  tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• One 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 2 ounces baby spinach leaves (2 cups lightly packed), chopped
• 1/3 cup freshly grated 1/3 Parmesan cheese (optional

In a small bowl, mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon; set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil.

Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves; cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.

Serve topped with the Parmesan, if desired.

Serves 6

This is a great summer soup that features zucchini and is topped with pistou. The recipe is found in the cookbook Basic to Brilliant, Y’all.

• 1 tablespoon pure olive oil
• 2 onion, preferably Vidalia, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 6 cups water, plus more if needed
• 1 ham hock or ham bone (optional)
• 4 ounces green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 yellow squash, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup elbow macaroni or orzo
• Pistou (recipe follows)

In a large, heavy Dutch over, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, carrot, and celery and cook until the onions are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add 4 cups of the water and the ham hock (if using). Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then decrease the heat to low. Simmer until the mixture is flavorful and well combined, about 30 minutes.

Add the green beans, yellow squash, zucchini, bay leaf, parsley, basil, and red pepper. Add more of the remaining 2 cups of water as needed to cover the vegetables by about 1 inch. Continue to simmer slowly over very low heat until the vegetables are just tender, 20 minutes more. Add the pasta and more water, if needed. Simmer until the pasta is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Before serving, taste and adjust the soup for seasoning with salt and pepper. To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Finish with a dollop of pistou.

Serves 6

Pistou

• 4 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves (about 3 bunches), washed and dried
• 4 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 3 ounces)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the basil, garlic, and cheese in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. With the machine running, slowly pour in the olive oil until it is thoroughly incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Use immediately, store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Here’s nice cool salad for hot summer day.

• 8 ounces pasta
• 3/4 cup diced celery
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 12 ounce can solid white albacore tuna, flaked
• 3/4 cup shredded carrot
• 1/3 cup sweet relish
• 3/4 cup Miracle Whip
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• Crispy lettuce leaves

Prepare the pasta according to the package. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Mix in the rest of the ingredients into the pasta.

Lay lettuce leaves on plates and top with the tuna salad.

Serves 4-6

Super Bowl Sunday is synonymous with bad snacking. Here’s a healthy spread to serve with fresh cut up vegetables as a great alternative to the usual lineup. This recipe is from Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Every Day.

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 cups cooked white beans (or 1 15 oz. can, rinsed and drained)
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• Fine-grain sea salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
• 1/4 to 3/4 cup hot water
• Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
• Whole grain crackers and cut up vegetables: carrots, zucchini, peppers, cucumbers, celery, etc.

In a small saucepan combine the olive oil, rosemary and garlic. Over medium-low heat, slowly warm the mixture until the oil just barely starts to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes. Pour the oil through a strainer and discard the garlic and rosemary bits.

In a food processor, combine the beans, two-thirds of the almonds, a scant 1/2 teaspoon salt, the lemon juice, and two-thirds of the rosemary oil. Pulse a couple of times to bring the ingredients together. Add the water 1/4 cup at a time (you won’t need much if using canned beans), pulsing all the while, until the mixture is the consistency of thick frosting. You might not need all the water; it really depends on how starchy your beans are and how thick you’d like the spread to be. Taste and adjust with more lemon juice or salt, if needed.

Scoop the spread into a small serving dish and make a few indentations in the top. Sprinkle with the lemon zest and the remaining almonds and drizzle with the remaining rosemary oil. Serve with the crackers and veggies.

Resolve to eat more vegetables this year! This recipe will certainly help you do just that. Featured as an award winning healthy casserole in Better Homes and Gardens, this dish is delish.

• 8 ounces dried whole wheat penne pasta (2 3/4 cups)
• 2 1/2 cups cauliflower florets (1/2 medium head)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 12 ounces kale, stems removed, leaves torn (12 cups)
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely shredded or grated

Cheese Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large Dutch oven cook pasta according to package directions; add cauliflower during the last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain; rinse. Set aside.

In the same Dutch oven cook onion and garlic in hot olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add carrots and celery; cook just until carrots are tender. Add kale; cook just until wilted. Stir in pasta mixture, peas, and corn.

For cheese sauce, in a small saucepan melt butter; stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Add milk all at once; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; add cheddar cheese. Cook and stir until melted.

Stir sauce into pasta and vegetables. Transfer to a 2 1/2-quart greased casserole. Bake, covered, for 35 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Bake 5 minutes more.

Makes 6 servings.

A delicious vegetarian soup that features roasted butternut squash. This was adapted from a recipe that was in an issue of Bon Appetit Magazine.

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 Butternut Squash (1 1/2 pounds) halved lengthwise and seeded
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 3/4 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 6 cups (plus more if needed) vegetable broth, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus sprigs for garnish
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon minced seeded serrano chile (optional)
• Course sea salt
• Plain nonfat yogurt

Preheat oven to 400. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Sprinkle halves of squash with salt and pepper. Arrange, cut side down, on prepared sheet. Roast squash until tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Turn squash cut side up and cool. Scoop squash out into a medium bowl.

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until pale golden, about 10 minutes. Mix in the celery and garlic. Add 1 cup of the broth. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add squash, 5 cups broth, and cumin. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Being very careful, take a hand blender and work it through the soup until smooth. Thin squash soup to a desired consistency with more vegetable broth. Add the red bell pepper, cilantro, thyme and serrano chile. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Season soup to taste with coarse salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish each with a dollop of yogurt and sprig of cilantro.

Finally, there is a chill in the air. Soups are a great way to warm up. This one features lots of veggies. The recipe is adapted from one found on the My Melange blog.

• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 2  carrots, chopped
• 3  stalks of celery, chopped
• 1  small white onion, chopped
• 1  clove of garlic, minced
• 3  tomatoes, chopped
• 1  15oz. can of white beans, rinsed and drained
• 4  red swiss chard leaves, roughly chopped
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  heel of parmigiano reggiano cheese
• fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube dissolved in 4 cups boiling water
• salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute onions until translucent. Add carrots and celery, cook until softened. Add garlic, cook for another minute. Add tomatoes, beans, thyme, salt and pepper. Pour the 4 cups of bullion infused water to the pot, add the bay leaf and heel of parmigiano reggiano to the pot, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.  Add chard, cover and let simmer for 5 minutes, just until the chard is wilted.

Serves 6

Yes, it’s summer, and who wants to think about making chili? Well, you should, as this one is really quick and chock-full of veggies. Use the vegetables listed in the recipe (from The Everything Soup Cookbook) or throw other ones in that you have on hand. Maybe having a big bowl will remind you of a cold winter evening…..brrr.

• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 stalk celery
• 1/2 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 zucchini
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or nut oil
• 1 (18oz.) can chopped tomatoes
• 1 (15oz.) can cooked kidney beans
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 can Mexicorn
• Shredded cheddar cheese and/or chopped cashews for garnich (optional)

Chop the green bell pepper, celery, and onion. Shred the carrot and zucchini. Mince the garlic.

In a large saucepan or soup pot, heat the oil. Saute all the fresh vegetables on medium for 3 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the garnishes. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 more minutes.

Garnish and serve.

Serves 4

This is a great basic vegetable soup. Get creative -  add some pasta, crusty bread or cheese to it to give it a different punch.

• 2 Tbl Olive Oil
• stalk of celery
• Bag of Carrots
• 2 cups poatos
• 2 cups broccoli
• 2 cups zucchini
• 1 16 oz of tomato paste
• 10 cups of Vegetable broth
• 2 14oz cans of White Kidney beans
• 5 garlic cloves - crushed
• Salt and Pepper to taste

In your largest thick-bottomed pot over medium heat combine the olive oil, celery, garlic, carrot, potato and onion. Cook for 10 -15 minutes sweating the vegetables, but avoid any browning.   Add the 10 cups of vegetable broth along with the can of tomato paste  and two cans of beans. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and add the zucchini and broccoli simmer until the greens are tender, about 15 minutes.

Serve immediately, or cool and refrigerate overnight. Finish each serving with a drizzle of olive oil and some chopped olives or some Parmesan cheese.

Prep time: 20min - Cook time: 60 min

Serves: 10