In the soup.

One way to avoid salt-heavy canned or instant soups: make your own. Well, technically, these lick-the-bottom-of-the-bowl recipes aren't yours. They spring from the culinarily fertile neurons of Nutrition Action's Tamara Goldis. (To hold down the sodium, we used Imagine Organic No-Chicken Broth in the recipes that call for vegetable broth.)

Butternut Squash Soup
with Ginger

To save time, use the peeled, cubed butternut
squash that's available at many supermarkets.

  1 Tbs. olive oil
  4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2-3 Tbs. chopped fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  5 cups cubed butternut squash
  3 cups lower-sodium vegetable
    broth
  2 cups water
  6 Tbs. plain nonfat yogurt

Heat the oil in a medium stockpot over medium-high
heat. Add the garlic, onion, and
ginger and saute for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the
pepper, cumin, and cinnamon and saute for
30 seconds. Add the squash, broth, and water
and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer
for 10 to 15 minutes or until the squash
is tender.

In a blender or food processor, puree the
soup in batches until smooth. Top with
yogurt and serve. Makes 6 servings.

PER SERVING (1 cup)

Calories: 140                   Sodium: 250 mg
Total Fat: 3 g                  Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sat Fat: 0 g / Trans Fat: 0 g   Carbohydrates: 30 g
Fiber: 4 g                      Protein: 5 g

Corn Chowder

To turn it into a seafood or chicken chowder,
add chopped raw or cooked shrimp or scallops
(10 minutes before the soup is done) or chicken
(when you add the milk and broth).

    2 Tbs. olive oil
    1 onion, diced
    5 garlic cloves, chopped
    2 Tbs. all purpose flour
    2 red bell peppers, seeded and
      chopped
    2 carrots, peeled and chopped
    2 cups corn niblets or kernels
      (frozen or fresh)
    1 potato, peeled and diced
    3 cups fat-free milk
    2 cups lower-sodium vegetable
      broth
    1 tsp. dried thyme
  1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 cups canned cannellini, Great
      Northern, or other white beans,
      drained and rinsed

Heat the olive oil in a medium stockpot over
medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic
and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and
cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add
the peppers, carrots, and corn and stir well.
Stir in the potato, milk, broth, thyme, and
pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and
simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the
potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, mash the beans with a fork in
a small bowl until they form a paste. Stir the
beans into the soup and cook until warmed
through. Makes 10 servings.

PER SERVING (1 cup)

Calories: 150                   Sodium: 240 mg
Total Fat: 3 g                  Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sat Fat: 0 g / Trans Fat: 0 g   Carbohydrates: 25 g
Fiber: 4 g                      Protein: 7 g

Minestrone Soup

    1 Tbs. olive oil
    1 onion, diced
    5 garlic cloves, chopped
    1 carrot, chopped
    2 zucchini, chopped
    1 summer squash, chopped
    1 tomato, chopped
    1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
    2 tsp. dried oregano
  1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 1/2 cups lower-sodium vegetable
      broth
1 1/2 cups water
    1 16-oz. can red kidney beans,
      drained and rinsed
    1 15-oz. can Great Northern or other
      white beans, drained and rinsed
  1/2 cup elbow macaroni
   12 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high
heat. Add the onion and garlic and

saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the carrot, zucchini,
squash, and chopped tomato and cook
for 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes,
oregano, pepper, broth, and water. Bring to a
boil and cover. Reduce the heat and simmer
for 15 minutes.

Add the beans and the macaroni to the
soup. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes uncovered
or until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
Top with Parmesan cheese before serving.
Makes 12 servings.

PER SERVING (1 cup)

Calories: 140                   Sodium: 280 mg
Total Fat: 2 g                  Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sat Fat: 1 g / Trans Fat: 0 g   Carbohydrates: 24 g
Fiber: 6 g                      Protein: 8 g

  Chicken Noodle Soup

We used Health Valley Fat Free Chicken Broth.
For a vegetarian chicken noodle, use Imagine
Organic No-Chicken Broth and omit the chicken.

    2 tsp. olive oil
    2 carrots, peeled and sliced
    2 celery stalks, sliced
    1 onion, diced
    6 garlic cloves, crushed
    1 tsp. dried thyme
  1/2 tsp. black pepper
  1/2 tsp. dried sage
3 1/2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
    2 boneless, skinless chicken
      breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
    2 cups yolk-free egg noodles

Heat the oil in a medium stockpot over
medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery,
onion, and garlic and saute until the onions
are translucent, or about 5 minutes. Stir in
the thyme, pepper, and sage and cook for
1 minute. Add the broth, water, and chicken
breast. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer
for 15 minutes.

Stir the noodles into the soup and simmer
uncovered for about 10 minutes or until the
noodles are tender. Makes 6 servings.

PER SERVING (1 cup)

Calories: 160                   Sodium: 280 mg
Total Fat: 3 g                  Cholesterol: 25 mg
Sat Fat: 1 g / Trans Fat: 0 g   Carbohydrates: 17g
Fiber: 2 g                      Protein: 15 g