H3 Recipe: Quick and Easy Soup and Sandwich

When pressed for time this holiday season and need a quick, easy, healthy and delicious dinner idea – try our Roast Beef Philly Melt and Creamy Tomato Basil soup.  Warm up on a cold day with this classic comfort meal!

Roast Beef Philly Melt

Ingredients:

4 each            Whole Wheat Bread or Arnold’s Sandwich Thins Whole Wheat

2 each            White onions, julienned (cut long and thin)

2 cups             Button or crimini mushrooms, quartered

½ teaspoon   Black pepper

½ cup             Fat-free cream cheese (2 Tbsp per piece of bread)

12 each          Roast beef, deli sliced thin, low sodium(3 slices per slice of bread)

4 slices           Swiss cheese, reduced fat

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.


• Heat a large non-stick sauté pan over medium high heat. Spray with cooking spray and sauté onions and mushrooms. Add pepper.


• Spread 2 Tablespoons of cream cheese onto each slice of bread.


• Arrange three slices of roast beef over bread, then top with 1 ½ cups of onions and mushrooms.


• Then top off with slice of Swiss cheese.


• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbly.

Chef’s Note: Calories will vary dependent on the type of bread used.  To save a few calories, try using Arnold’s Sandwich Thins.

Number of Servings:         4

Portion Size:                        1 slice

Calories:                               199

Fat Grams:                           2.2

 

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients:

1 T.                  Olive oil

4 each             Garlic cloves, minced

1 each             Onion, chopped fine

1 T.                  Basil, dried

1 T.                  Oregano, dried

1 T.                  Sugar

½  cup             Tomato concentrate

8 cups             Diced tomatoes, canned

6 cups             Vegetable stock, broth or water

12 leaves         Fresh basil

2 cups             Skim milk

1 T.                  Sugar (if needed in addition)

½  tsp.             Salt

To taste           Ground pepper

2 T.                  Arrowroot or cornstarch

2 T.                  Cold water for arrowroot or cornstarch (to thicken)

Preparation:

• In a large saucepan, heat to medium low and warm the oil.


• Add the garlic, onions, seasonings, sauté until lightly golden.


• Stir in the tomato concentrate


• Add the tomatoes and vegetable stock.


• Bring to a simmer, and stir occasionally until the tomatoes break down.


• Add fresh basil.


• Remove from heat and let cool slightly and then put in food processor or blender and process until smooth.


• Pour blended soup through a fine strainer or even cheese cloth.


• Then place back into soup pot.


• Make sure to taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.


• Bring soup back up to heat, and add your thickener of choice.  Make sure soup thickens before adding next ingredient.


• Then add skim milk or half and half, to achieve the creamy color.


• Taste soup before serving to make sure it has met your taste buds satisfaction.

Number of Servings:            15

Serving Size:                         ½ cup

Total Calories:                      75

Fat Grams:                             1