What’s not to like about soup?
For the most part, it is a healthy yet filling meal. Warm, hearty varieties are great for winter days and lighter versions, or even cold soups, are good for the heat of summer.
I used to take soup to the office a lot for lunch. It was always an easy thing to pop in the microwave and you really can’t beat the calorie content – a definite figure-friendly choice.
Yes, I was always aware of the sodium. I chose brands with less, but to tell you the truth I wasn’t all that concerned. Only a small part of the population is considered sodium-sensitive where excess intake leads to high blood pressure. I was always cautious of my sodium intake from other sources on the days I ate it.
Well, when I took on the challenge of reducing fake and processed foods my convenient soup had to go.
There are still times that I gaze around the soup aisle at all the different flavors, but I know those varieties are full of preservatives, and of course sodium, that my body doesn’t really need.
So my interest has moved to making different varieties of soup that don’t take all day. So far so good, but I’m always looking for unique recipes. One can only take so much vegetable and chicken noodle. Actually, I rarely make those.
I’ve been eating a lot of soup during my time in Ireland. It is often the cheapest thing on the menu (always on a budget) and it warms you up on the cool and rainy days. Not to mention it is served with some amazing brown bread loaded with grains.
Many of the soups here are pureed which gives it a much heavier texture. I really like it, but it does take some creativity to thicken it without using too much cream.
One of my favorites has been this Sweet Potato Coconut soup.
I’m thinking I can easily recreate it from the Butternut Squash soup recipe I shared a while back. Substitute sweet potatoes for the squash and add just a touch of coconut milk for flavor.
Do you have a resource for great soup recipes? If so, definitely let me know.
Sweet potato coconut soup? That sounds SO good! Care to share the recipe?
I’m going to give it a try when I get back from traveling and I will definitely post it.
The only problem is I haven’t been able to find the orange variety of sweet potatoes like we have in the US in Brazil.
If I can’t experiment with it before I definitely will when I’m back in the States over the holidays.
Weight Watchers has a great “0 points” vegetable soup that is easy and fast to make. Tastes delicious too:
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/20/Weight_Watchers_Garden_Vegetable_Soup44712.shtml
You’ve made me hungry for soup 🙂 My strategy for easy soups is keeping great chicken stock in the freezer, the kind that tastes good enough just as broth by itself and even better with good ingredients added. I like soups with whole grains because they’re hearty and fiber-rich without seeming heavy.
laura@eatingwellanywhere
Thanks for the recipe, striving green. Sounds great!
laura, that is a great tip about putting the stock in the freezer. Soup and whole grain bread definitely go together for me.
I used to eat soup almost every day! I did buy the low sodium but its still reallllly high in sodium! Now, I will bring a bundle of vegis (frozen) and cook them up in the microwave. I sprinkle them with a little chili powder and it is delicious! I usually add beans for protein and a side of yogurt!
erica, the convenience of frozen veggies, especially for soup, is so great!