[Blarg]

Well, I haven't heard of using puree in a soup before. You can just use canned tomatoes if you like a tomato-based broth.

Also, try adding some lean sausage to the mix. You don't need much to add a ton of flavor -- in fact too much can overwhelm the other flavors. Or on reheating, some shredded chicken or turkey. Especially with the chicken or turkey, you still keep an extremely low-fat, ridiculously healthy meal. Also, a good way to start a soup is by simmering chicken thighs in veggies. Take the chicken out when cooked, throw away the bones and return the chicken to the pot. You'll have that great chicken flavor going, and again some real protein to munch on. Sometimes I add some rice or potatoes to fill out a soup, too.

I also like to cook up a big batch of chicken breasts or drumsticks at a time, keep a big container of them in the fridge, and have a couple pieces for breakfast, or any time I want a snack. Freeze any extra.

And as long as you don't put any lettuce or creamy-type dressings in it, you can make a big salad base that you either eat plain or that you add to a plate/bowl with more spoilable things like lettuce in it that can last a week in the fridge. And again, you can add chicken or turkey to it if the mood strikes you.

It's a very good idea to always have healthy snacks around. Better to reach for a piece of skinless cold chicken than a cookie or some crackers or whatever. And a bowl of a light soup or a salad with lemon juice or rice vinegar dressing is about as low calorie yet nutritious as anything you can eat.

Those are my favorite low-cal things to make big batches up. For what eventually winds up as higher calorie meals, chili or pasta sauce are great to make huge quantities of.