Soup's On!

This weekend its 70 degrees in New York despite the fact that its Columbus Day Weekend!  Still, October is the month when soup season begins.  In fact, my the theme of my monthly Supper Club is "Soup Swap"!   Later on this month we will gather and enjoy homemade soups and then mix and match containers to bring home and stick in the freezer - perfect to have on a night after a long day at work or on a cold winter afternoon on a blustery weekend.

I saw this soup recipe in the latest Weight Watchers Magazine and had to try it.  I tweaked it just a little by adding some crushed red pepper flakes.  Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly as instructed and a quintessential bowl of soup was the result.

What soups will you be making this fall?  Happy Slurping!

Tuscan Chicken Soup (courtesy of Weight Watchers)
Ingredients:
Cooking spray (I use Canola oil cooking spray for its neutral flavor)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 pound ground chicken breast (make sure its not dark meat!)
2 (14 oz) cans of fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 (16oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I added this for a bit of zing)
6 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
6 teaspoons of freshly shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:
1) Heat a large saucepan over medium heat; coat pan with cooking spray
2) Add garlic and onion and saute for 5 minutes or until just tender
3) Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes, crumbling with the back of a fork
4) Add the chicken broth and the next 6 ingredients
5) Bring to a low boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 22 minutes
6) Stir in spinach and cook for 3 minutes or until spinach has wilted
7) Ladle soup into bowls and top with 1 teaspoon of cheese

Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups of soup and 1 teaspoon of cheese
WW Points per serving: 4