6 Ways to Make Your Soup a Bowl with Benefits
Published Mar 2, 2015
Just when you thought it was safe to put down the bone broth, we now have a soup-er challenge you won’t want to miss! Everyday Health is kicking off our #10soupchallengetoday! Although you may long for the sight of spring flowers, enjoying a hot mug of soup in the weeks ahead is a great segue way between the two seasons as you begin to lighten up your diet.
This chameleon of a meal, comfortably appearing as either an appetizer, main dish, or a between meal snack, can be enjoyed all year through. Soup can healthfully hydrate while putting a halt to hunger. Here’s how you can create a bowl with benefits:
1. Soup is a perfect vehicle for veggies. Fresh, canned, or frozen, you can add any veggies to soup because you’re not necessarily looking for a crisp texture and mouth feel. Frozen and canned vegetables are easier to store and are usually less expensive than fresh types.
2. What lays in soup stays in soup. Whatever beans, vegetables, or proteins (chicken, meat) you add will get cooked directly within the soup, thereby retaining valuable vitamins and minerals that would otherwise get lost in other forms of meal preparation.
3. If you’re not a veggie lover (but you know you should be eating more of them), try using an immersion blender. This inexpensive tool is perfect for pureeing veggies right within the pot of soup. It’s easy to use, clean, and store and turns a chunky soup into a creamy one in minutes.
4. Cook now, sip later. Make more than you need and store soup in small containers in the freezer. Carry some to work with you and pop it in the microwave for an afternoon snack that will carry you through to dinner without needing to pay a visit to the vending machine.
5. Adding soup could ditch calories. Studies show that a bowl of broth-based soup before a meal can help you eat less at that meal and thereby help slash your calorie budget. Cream-based soups, of course, might add more calories than you bargained for, so when dining out, ask your server about what might be hidden in that bowl.
6. Proceed with caution when comes to sodium. Read labels carefully to check serving size since some canned soups may show half a can as a portion, in which case you’d have to double all of the numbers listed on the Nutrition Facts Panel. To help keep sodium in check, jazz up your soup with savory spices and seasonings — a healthy way to showcase your creativity!
Need some soup suggestions? Try my thick, wholesome split pea soup recipe or go to the Recipe Rehab Facebook page for more ideas and tips. Are you up for the challenge?
Healthy lifestlyle 