Soups a plenty!

I gotta start off by saying that I love soup. I've been on this Weight Watchers thing for a while now (ok... a whole 8 weeks) and am falling in love with soup all over again. What best to start my new soup fix than some homemade hearty soup! As I mentioned previously, I heart Foodie Fashionista's recipes. Tonight is night two of trying out her recipes.

This soup turned out fabulously. It was just enough hearty and just enough soupy to make me full for the night. And the breadsticks I paired them with turned out great too! YUM! I used my crock pot instead of following Foodie Fashionista's instructions.

Source: Foodie Fashionista (for the soup) and Healthdiscovery.net (for the bread sticks)

Zuppa Toscana ala Weight Watchers (with a few more veggies)
My changes in Italics

48 ounces fat-free, reduced sodium chicken broth
1 large baking potato, peeled and diced
8 ounces sweet Italian chicken sausage (2 or 3 links depending on the size of each link)
I used 6 3/4 ounces (2 links)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teapsoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced (I used the white mushrooms that were already cleaned and cut)
2 cups fresh spinach leaves (don't add until right before you're going to eat)
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1/2 medium white onion
1/4 cup fat free half and half

Place all ingredients, except spinach, in crock pot and set on low for 6 hours. Keep sausage links whole. Once you're ready to add the spinach (15 min before eating) take out the whole sausages and cut in slices at an angle and than in half. Add the sausage back into the soup and add the spinach leaves. Let stand for a few minutes until spinach is slightly wilted. Serve a heaping scoop per bowl.

2 WW points for 1 heaping cup (makes 6-8 cups)

Pizza Bread Sticks

• 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 oz yeast
• 3/4 cup water, warmed (105-115 degrees)
• 1 oz Weight Watchers Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup bell pepper(s), red
• 1 clove garlic (I used the minced jarred garlic)
  
• 1/2 tsp ground basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and coat baking sheet with cooking spray

Place yeast in warm water and stir until dissolved. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Place all ingredients except oil in food processor. Blend until well mixed. Slowly add olive oil and yeast mixture. Mix until a ball is formed. Take out of processor and place on lightly floured surface. Knead for 1 minute. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Roll out to an 8 x 14 inch rectangle and cut into 1/2 inch rows. Twist and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with 1 tsp garlic salt. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until light brown.

2 WW points for 1 breadstick (makes 14)