Nothing says “welcome to fall” better than soup bubbling on the stove. Besides tasting great and warming us up, soup has some health and budget benefits. Here are a few-
Soup fills you up with fewer calories- Broth or tomato based soups like chicken noodle, gazpacho or vegetable soup taste fantastic and come with the added benefit of providing plenty of water and fiber-both of which fill you up without adding calories. In fact, in one study, people who ate healthy, veggie-rich soups before lunch were shown to eat 134 fewer calories at that meal.
Soup is easy to prepare-Many recipes call for ingredients that are shelf stable and easy to keep on hand. Homemade soups usually come together in a snap and, when refrigerated promptly after eating, are safe to keep for 3 to 4 days. Many also freeze very well. Consider making a double batch and freezing some for an easy meal on a busy day.
Soup is vegetable rich-Broccoli, potatoes, tomatoes, peas, cauliflower; it’s difficult to think of a vegetable that doesn’t taste great in soup. Veggie avoidant? Try a vegetable that you are curious about mixed in with some of your favorites like corn, green beans or onions. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how well the flavors mix.
Soup is immunity building and heart strengthening- Because of those veggies, soups provide a wealth of vitamin A, magnesium, iron and potassium-substances important in helping us keep a strong heart and immune system.
Soup is inexpensive- Purchasing canned or frozen vegetables for soup may save you grocery money. Often you can stretch soup by including noodles, rice or potatoes-all of which are fairly inexpensive and tasty add-ins. Using pinto, lima or navy beans to replace some of the meat in your soup will cost less and add to the soup's deliciousness.
Here’s a simple, tasty soup recipe that takes advantage of a cooler weather vegetable, kale.
Kale and White
Bean Soup
1 cup onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 ½ cups cooked white beans (1 can- 15.5 ounces, drained and rinsed)
1 ¾ cups diced tomatoes (1 can- 14.5 ounces with juice)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
3 cups kale, chopped (fresh or frozen)
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, saute onion and garlic in butter or margarine until soft. Add broth, white beans and tomatoes; stir to combine. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the kale and Italian seasoning. Simmer until kale has softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Nutrition Information: Makes 5 servings, each serving is 1 cup. A serving provides 120 calories, 3.5 grams fat, 260 mg sodium, 20 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams dietary fiber and 6 grams protein.
Recipe from foodhero.org
