Restaurant Favorites: Zoup Soup and Ciabatta Bread

One of my favorite places to eat at when I'm watching calories is Zoup. The food is good, the employees are always happy to let customers sample as many soups as they wish, and the whole atmosphere of the place is very laid back. It's the perfect place to get soup, one of the best comfort foods, ever.

Pictured: Zoup on Airport Road in Allentown, PA
There are a few soups (cream based) that can be high in calories, but most of the options for an 8 ounce serving of soup are under 200 calories. Add a 170 calorie hunk of ciabatta bread and it becomes a filling meal for under 400 calories.

I was in the mood for something I hadn't had yet, so I tried the Sicilian Pizza (vegetables, Italian sausage, sliced pepperoni, fresh basil, oregano and grated parmesan cheese, garnished with mozzarella cheese). It really did taste like I was having pizza in soup form. According to the website nutritional information, it was 150 delicious tasting calories, for a total of 320 calories with the bread. One of these days, I'll have to try making a similar soup at home.

I'm also fond of the Sonoma salad, which is greens served with gorgonzola cheese, dried cranberries and sliced almonds, topped off with a raspberry salad dressing. I love when salad tastes like a dessert!