There is no doubt that, the first dish of a meal is the most important one. Even today, with all the debates going on about right and wrong food, nobody doubts the good effects of soups in our body.
Hot soup in particular has numerous health benefits.
- Soup contains less calories but they are nutritious than any other meal. Soups are found to keep you full for longer than most other meals and this has been proved by the age old phrase “nothing fills me up like a hot bowl of soup”. The researchers at Penn State found that foods high in water content had a very strong impact on satiety (the feeling of satisfaction/fullness).
- They are one of the most nutritive method of consuming vegetables because the vitamins and nutrients in the soup are retained in it.
- The antioxidants present in vegetables and garlic have excellent healing properties for diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma etc . Diabetics would also benefit from drinking soup as the high antioxidant content of soups helps rectify the damage by the high blood sugar levels. Remember, only the fresh soups have the antioxidant properties.
- Soups are filling and very low calorie, therefore they are great for someone trying to decrease the quantity of food.
- Soups are a great substitute to excessive tea/coffee.
- Kids often enjoy soups and it is far tastier than cooked vegetables.
Try a few healthy preparation of soups:
Wheat Soup
Ingredients
- Whole Wheat – 2 cups
- Yogurt – 4 cups
- Chicken Stock – 4 cups
- Egg – 1
- Flour – 2 tbsp
- Salt to taste
- Ground Pepper – 2 tbsp
Method
- Take Wheat and soak in water for 8 hours. Drain the water. Place the yogurt in a sieve lined with cheesecloth and let the excess liquid drain out for a minimum of 5 to 6 hours, or overnight if possible.
- Take a deep (soup) pan and add the chicken stock to it and boil the wheat in the chicken stock. On low heat cook for 1 hour.
- Once the wheat is cooked strain the soup using sieve.
- In a frying pan add the yogurt, flour and egg and mix well. Cook on a low heat until it thickens.
- Add ½ cup of water and cook until the mixture gets boiled. Add this mixture to the soup and boil for 3-4 min and serve.
- Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped onions and sauces if desired.
Mediterranean Soup
Ingredients
- Butter – 50gm
- Leek – 1
- Water
- Flour – 1/4 cup
- Broccoli – 400 gm
- Carrots – 3
- Zucchinis Sliced – 2
- Red pepper Sliced – 1
Method
- In a frying pan add butter and once the butter is melted add the leek to the pan. Fry for 10 min.
- Add the flour to the leeks and fry for 2-3 min and add the vegetable stock and water to the pan and boil for 15-20 min on medium heat.
- Once the soup starts to thicken, add the rest of the vegetables and cook for 15 min on medium heat.
- Once the vegetables are cooked and become soft. Turn off the heat and serve.
Courtesy: http://www.scotlandforvisitors.com
Roasted Tomato and Chickpea Soup
Ingredients
- 6 large plum tomatoes
- 1 medium onion, halved
- 2 garlic cloves
- 300ml / 1/2 pint / 11/4 cups vegetable stock
- 430 g can chickpeas, drained
- 30ml / 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 30ml / 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
- salt and black pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 200oC. Place the whole tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes until tender and lightly browned.
- Place in a food processor with the vegetable stock and half the chickpeas, and blend until smooth.
- Press through a sieve.
- Return to the pan, add the tomato puree, the remaining chickpeas, and the coriander. Bring to the boil and serve hot.
Bean and Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 can white kidney beans
- 1 can lima beans
- 1 can black-eyed peas
- 1 can diced tomatoes and chilies
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 1 cup rice, rinsed well in cold water to lose some of the starch
- 1 bay leaf
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
- Pinch of cayenne
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Fresh ground black pepper and Celtic sea salt to taste
Directions
- Add olive to bottom of crock-pot. Turn on high. Add onions and bay leaf and let simmer for ten minutes, or until onions turn translucent. Add garlic and stir until you smell cooked garlic aroma (you do not want the garlic to brown). Add parsley, pinch of cayenne. Pour in can of tomatoes and chilies to stop the garlic from cooking. Rinse the three cans of beans well in a sieve and add to crock-pot. Add carrots. Add water until all ingredients are covered. Cover and cook on high all day. Now salt and pepper to taste. Fresh thyme is also nice. Twenty minutes before serving, add cup of rice to crock-pot. Turn on low and cover again.
For more soup recipes, log on to WF Healthy Recipes at http://www.womenfitness.net/recipes/