Zoup You.

A new restaurant (chain) opened up downtown called Zoup. They specialize in-- wait for it-- soup. They have over 150 types of soups, rotated daily, and they have ALL of the nutritional value online *including* WW Points! WIN! Well- kind of. On their website, the old points values are shown. So my project for today's break time was to re-point the menu and figure out what I wanted from there. But let's talk about the Zoup experience first.

We walk in (to get a to-go order), and the place is packed. I mean, PACKED. And all 8 people behind the counter are smiling, having a great time, and yelling "HOT SOUP!" every time a new vat of soup came out. They encourage soup sampling while you wait in line (I was assured this was not a "Grand Opening" ploy, rather you can sample soup at any time), so I tried the Wild Mushroom Barley and the Over-Stuffed Red Pepper (didn't want to be greedy and try all 12 they had out there). I couldn't decide which one I wanted to go with my salad until I was pushed to make a choice (eenie-meenie-miney-mo style) at the register.

It was a happy, energetic restaurant. For SOUP. And salads... and some sandwiches. But primarily, for SOUP. I know I've made homemade soup once or twice, but it was a long time ago- now it's just cranking open a can of Progresso and heating this up. With a soup place like this, though (and for it being relatively cheap, like Panera-pricing), who needs the canned crap.

Speaking of soup, Dana got the office to have a "Souper Bowl" at the staff meeting the Wednesday after the Super Bowl (See the creative play on words? She's witty like that). We have people bringing in different types of soup, some bread and crackers, even some desserts and we're having a buffet style lunch. I'm making a Slow Cooker Lentil Soup- never cooked with lentils, don't even know where to find them in the grocery store, and I don't remember the last time I made soup (though I know I've made it!) but the recipe is low point and sounds pretty dang good. Plus, you make it in a crock pot. Can't get much easier than that.

Recipe:
2c. Spinach
2 medium carrots, peeled and chunked
2 stalks celery, chunked
1 medium onion, chunked
2 garlic clove, minced
2 cups dry lentils, picked over (?!)
3 leaves bay leaf
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp black pepper
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I have vegetarians in my office, so I'm going with veggie)

1) Place ingrediants in following order (seriously?): carrots, celery, onion, garlic, lentils, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, broth
2) Cook on low 8 hours
3) remove bay leaves, cook for 30 minutes more.
4) serving size: 1 1/2 cups (makes 8 servings)- 5 Points (4 if I use vegetable broth!)

Now, onto the Zoup unveiling, with its new PointsPlus values- all values are based on a 8 oz "side" of soup (and these were the only soups out today- they rotate, and this list will expand as they do/ as I go in!). * Their "cup" of soup is 12 oz, so be careful!*

Soup
Spicy Black Bean Chili: 4 PointsPlus
Collard Green Chicken Barley: 4 PointsPlus
Fire Roasted Tomato Bisque: 9 (yeah, 9) PointsPlus
Crab Bisque: 5 PointsPlus
Lobster Bisque: 9 PointsPlus
Twice Baked Stuffed Potato with Baco: 11 PointsPlus
Vegetarian Split Pea: 5 PointsPlus
Chicken Pot Pie: 6 PointsPlus
Wild Mushroom Barley: 3 PointsPlus
Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo: 6 PointsPlus
Over Stuffed Bell Pepper: 4 PointsPlus


Sandwiches (serving size is HALF a sandwich- thus, the points here are for half of the sandwich)
Chicken Greek with Feta: 11 PointsPluswith bread, 10 PointsPlusas a wrap
Southwest Turkey: 12 PointsPluswith bread, 11 PointsPlusas a wrap
Turkey Club with Swiss: 12 PointsPluswith bread, 11 PointsPlusas a wrap
Cali Veg with Provolone: 9 PointsPluswith bread, 10 PointsPlusas a wrap
Tuna Salad with Lemon and Capers: 12 PointsPluswith bread, 11 PointsPlusas a wrap
Tuscan Chicken with Pesto: 12 PointsPluswith bread, 11 PointsPlusas a wrap
* they didn't have the Grilled Cheese listed, which is odd, but meh.**


Salads (serving size is whole salad)
Sonoma: 6 PointsPlus
Asian: 7 PointsPlus
American Farm: 2 PointsPlus
Chicken Caesar: 5 PointsPlus
Greek: 2 PointsPlus
*no nutritional value for the Cobb or Loco Burrito*


Salad Dressings
Raspberry Vinaigrette: 4 PointsPlus
Sesame Dressing: 4 PointsPlus
Ranch: 4 PointsPlus
Balsamic Vinaigrette: 4 PointsPlus

*PointsPlus is a trademark of Weight Watchers International, Inc.*