The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[MermaidinBlack]

Hi,

I just started the plan yesterday (5 & 1) and am doing fine except for one thing: the soup is naaaaaasty. Which of course, I had bought a ton of because I generally like soup. Any hints on how to prepare it to make the consistency better, or doctoring the taste? The chicken & wild rice wasn't bad, just bland. The cream of chicken was disgusting both in texture and taste (I had a hard time getting it to all blend, even with a whisk). Haven't tried the minestrone yet.

Are the fast soups just the same in taste/ texture/ preparation as the "regular" soups?

Thanks!

~ Cat

[DogMa]

The Fast Soups are a snack, and shouldn't be considered a meal. I've never actually had one in a whole year on the program, so I can't speak to the preparation.

As for the other soups, if you look around some, you'll see all kinds of ways to make them better. Many of the soups (chicken noodle, chicken rice, minestrone, chili) benefit from either being cooked on the stove or being mixed ahead of time and left to soak in the fridge for a while. Most also taste better with some bouillon and/or seasonings added.

And after all this time, I still can't stand the cream of chicken soup. But the cream of broccoli is one of my favorites.

[MermaidinBlack]

Hm, thanks, I'll try different ways of prepping it. Luckily, I don't think I bought much of the cream of chicken!

I knew that the Fast Soups were snax and not meals, I just wanted to know whether they were any good before I bought them, heh.

Thanks!

[DogMa]

Ah, sorry, just wanted to make sure. I don't know, unfortunately.

Good luck with the others, though! They all benefit from some doctoring (except that cream of chicken; I just can't get myself to like it, although I keep meaning to try it with some Better Than Bouillon lobster base in it).

[JKSRN]

Hi, I have only tried one packet of the Fast soups, since starting the program. I found it to be similar to Cup-a-Soup. I don't use snacks, except for an occasional 4 oz cup of ready-made sugar free jello.

As far as the soups, you could try to dilute them with more water than suggested and also let all sorts of spices 'zap up' some of the packets. There is an old thread which mentions all the different spices and extracts and syrups, that others use when preparing their MF packets. Hope this helps.
Joan

[supermom]

I really like the cream of chicken. I had to learn how to make it, though!! I start by mixing the packet with just enough water to make a paste--about the consistency of honey or nectar. I let that sit for a minute, while I get out my seasonings. I use molly mcbutter and molly mccheese, onion powder, a fresh minced clove of garlic (I LOVE garlic), and some mrs. dash. Use whatever flavor of mrs dash you like. Then, I SLOWLY add really hot water. I heat the water in the micro to make sure it is hot enough to make the soup ready to eat. I stir constantly while adding the water SLOWLY, so that it doesn't get any lumps in it. Since the water is usually boiling by the time I add it SLOWLY to the soup paste and seasonings, I let it sit for a minute to cool while I fix me a glass of water to drink. Then, I eat it. Sometimes I crumble a couple of MF crackers into it. Sometimes I have a little thicker than others. But, doing it this way, I really like it. At first, I thought I had made a HUGE mistake in ordering it.

<img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/904.gif" alt="Brewing" border="0">

PS---Did I mention to add the hot water SLOWLY??

[sidrah]

My favorite is a tie b/w crm of broc. and chicken/wild rice.
I lean more towards crm. of broc.

When I make the crm. of broc. I add hot water to the powder and just add it in a little at a time until it is the thickness I like. I only usually add Molly McCheese. SOmetimes, I add crackers.

Same with crm. of mushroom, but to that I also add Mrs. Dash.
The Minnestrone and Chick w/Rice I put a cup of water in a tupperware and powder then let it sit overnight or for a few hours. With the Minnestrone, I like to do this cause the noodles and peas soften up.

The only thing I cannot tolerate is the chili. I can never make it taste right. I add things, I limit the water, I use different spices. But, alas, I fail each time. That's okay, I prefer the soup to the chilli anyday.

[DogMa]

Too funny, Sidrah. The chili is my absolute favorite, since I learned to make it the way I like it. I'm going to be in withdrawal this weekend, since I have to go four days without it. But there's no way I can bring all the stuff I'd need to fix it up.

[sidrah]

I'm gonna be in Amarillo next week for a few days. Admittedly, I have no clue where that is in relation to North Texas or Texas towns in general, but I should sneak over and steal your recipe and ideas. I do make the chilli every once in a while, but I just end up with reddish brown water and bean floaters.

[supermom]

I live in Amarillo. Maybe we could meet up??

[MermaidinBlack]

Thanks, guys. I'm just now trying the minestrone and I had to play with it to get it to cook right and I'm just about to go dump some herbs in it, because, well... ewwwwwww. LOL My sweetie is Italian and he makes killer homemade, so I'm prolly comparing. I'm holding out that the chicken noodle will be okay, and I liked the chicken & wild rice. I'll try the cream of chicken again with different prep method and some doctoring. :-)

~ C

[smartipantz]

I don't microwave the chili, minestrone or chicken and wild rice.... I cook them on the stove.

For the chili and minestrone - put about 1-1/2 times the water in the pan, add a bit of cumin, some Mrs. Dash and a couple of tsps of salsa or Rotel. Then I simmer it until it's the consistency I like (just before it's too thick). I love it that way.

The chicken and wild rice is fine as long as I simmer it to the consistency I like.

Try it that way before you give up on it.

Smarti

[MermaidinBlack]

Actually, I'm really enjoying the chicken noodle. I heat up some water in the microwave in a Pyrex measuring cup (NOT to boiling, of course) and then pour my water into the bowl with the soup mix. I stick a plate over it and let it sit for like, 10 minutes, and I'm good with it. I like feeling like I'm getting some little carb-laden noodles, lol... I'll keep working with the cream of chicken to see if I like it better, but the minestrone just has some sort of really nasty taste to it. Thankfully I only bought one box. I'm going to try returning some of the cream of chicken and getting chicken noodle instead. That and the chicken & wild rice should do me fine. I'm too chicken (pardon the pun) to try the chili.

Thanks for all the tips!

[GucciGoo]

I add pepper, dill weed or parsley to my Cream of Chicken, sometimes a tsp of bouillion if I am feeling daring!

[DogMa]

I don't like the minestrone, either. And I'll tolerate the chicken noodle on occasion, but I make terrific homemade matzo ball soup (if I do say so myself!), so this one just doesn't compare.