Hungry Girl's Sassy Salsa Pumpkin Soup

Have you heard about Hungry Girl?  If you haven't I have to say this is a girl after my own heart. She likes food, she wants to eat it and yet doesn't want to gain weight, so she had to start looking at food in a different way. On her website she describes herself  as "... not a nutritionist.  She's just hungry." The site goes on to list "Lisa Lillien (aka Hungry Girl) [as] a New York Times bestselling author and the creator of the Hungry Girl brand. She is the founder of www.hungry-girl.com, the free daily email service that entertains and informs hungry people everywhere.  Lisa is a typical woman battling the same food issues most females struggle with every day. Lisa considers herself a “foodologist,” not because she has some kind of fancy degree, but because she is obsessed with food –– how wonderful it is, and how much of it she can eat and still fit into her pants.  Lisa has over 1,000,000 fans that receive her emailed tips and tricks for reducing calories in the everyday foods we eat. 


The Indianapolis Star published one of her recipes in their November 18, 2009 issue. I recently made it and it is delicious.


SASSY SALSA PUMPKIN SOUP


Serves 4 - one generous cup
Ingredients:

• 4 cups fat-free broth (chicken or vegetable)
• One 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
• One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup canned sweet corn kernels
• 3/4 cup salsa
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

      Optional Toppings: shredded low or fat-free cheese, fat-free sour cream, chopped     scallions

Directions:

1)  Spray a medium pot with non-stick spray and bring to medium heat on the stove. Place garlic in the pot. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and spices and bring to a simmer.

2)  Add pumpkin and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients, stir and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

3)  If you like, top each cup with any of the optional ingredients before serving

Nutrition:

177 calories; 1 g. of fat; 991 mg. of sodium; 35 g. carbs; 8.5 mg. of fiber; 9 g. protein

 Use reduced sodium broth to reduce the sodium level in the soup.

This soup is great served with a salad or a piece of crusty bread, and you don't have to be a girl to like it. Life is good - enjoy!