Happy October everyone!  October to me begs for two things: pumpkin anything and warm, bubbly soup.  Oh, and Halloween candy.  But…I’ve been trying to eat better lately and the key to doing that is to bring my lunch to work each day, stay away from fast food (and candy) and plan my snacks (hello fruit).  One of the easiest foods for me to make when I’m trying to eat healthy is soup.  It’s usually low in calories, filled with veggies, packed with flavor and easy to bring for lunch.  Not to mention that it’s usually a quick, one-pot meal.  I made this Chicken and Vegetable Soup over the weekend which is a perfect grab-and-go lunchtime option.  Made with rotisserie or pre-cooked chicken, the soup comes together in a flash and packs a flavor punch.

Fire-roasted tomatoes are the key to this soup which is mixed with broth, carrots, onions and green beans.  Chicken and quick-cooking orzo bulk up this soup which would also be great with spinach or mushrooms.  The vegetables are quickly sauteed (I added the green beans too early by accident) and become sweet which still retain their crisp and crunchy texture helping to make this soup hearty and filling.  The orzo will plump up a little bit more as the soup sits so don’t worry if it doesn’t look like it’s not quite done.  It will be perfect when you are ready to sit down and eat it.  Paired with some fruit and baby carrots, this will be my lunch for the rest of the week.  And I’m looking forward to it.

The ingredients:

Add oil to a Dutch oven heated over medium-high heat.   Swirl to coat and add onion, carrot, garlic, salt, black pepper and thyme sprig; sauté 4 minutes.

Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil.

Add pasta and beans; cook 5 minutes.

Stir in chicken, and sprinkle with cheese. Discard thyme.

Top with additional cheese if you prefer.

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

• Perdue® Short Cuts®

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine