Winter soup recipes

Soup is a classic comfort food that offers both flavor and health benefits. It can help satisfy your hunger without piling on the calories, and it's a tasty method to incorporate more vegetables into your diet. Plus, when you're cooking at home, you have the advantage of managing the amount of salt and sodium.

Soup provides a wonderful opportunity to savor diverse cultural tastes. And enjoying a warm, nourishing bowl of soup on chilly days is highly recommended by dietitians. So, skip the pre-packaged options and explore these simple, homemade soup recipes.

Mexican black bean soup

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 tspolive oil
• 1/2 onion (diced)
• 1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1/2 tsp Adobo seasoning (divided use)
• 1/4 black pepper
• 1 (14.5-oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 (15-oz) can black beans (rinsed and drained)
• 40 oz aow sodium chicken broth

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 450 °F.
• Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.
• Combine mustard, maple syrup, paprika (or chipotle), pepper and salt in a small bowl.
• Place salmon fillets on the prepared baking sheet.
• Spread the mustard mixture evenly on the salmon.
• Roast until just cooked through (approximately 8 to 12 minutes). Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from diabetesfoodhub.org.

Chicken, pasta and spinach soup

Ingredients:

• 1 (14-oz) can low sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14.5-oz) cancanned diced tomatoes
• 2 oz whole grain or multigrain pasta (such as rotini)
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken breast
• 1 cup packed baby spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the broth and tomatoes and their liquid and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the pasta, return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 6 minutes or until pasta is just tender.
• Remove from heat and stir in the remaining ingredients, except the cheese. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes to absorb flavors and heat through. Serve topped with cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from diabetesfoodhub.org.

Hot and sour Szechuan soup

Ingredients:

• 4 oz lean pork chop, cut in thin 1-inch strips
• 1 tsp plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp plus 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, divided
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 8 oz firm or extra-firm tofu, drained and diced
• 8 oz thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 1 8-ounce can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 2 tbs water
• 1 large egg, well beaten
• 2 tbs rice wine vinegar
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 2 tsp shredded fresh ginger root (optional)

Instructions:

• Combine pork with 1 tsp cornstarch, sugar and 1 tsp soy sauce in a medium bowl. Stir to combine well and set aside for about 15 minutes while preparing other ingredients.
• Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add pork, tofu, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and carrot. Cover and return to a boil.
• Meanwhile combine remaining 2 tbs of cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Blend well to dissolve cornstarch and remove lumps. Add cornstarch mixture to broth as it boils, stirring gently until slightly thickened.
• Slowly drizzle the egg into thickened broth, allowing the egg to set into fine strands, about 30 seconds. Gently mix in remaining 1 tbs soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• To serve, ladle soup into individual bowls. Top with green onion and ginger root, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from eatright.org.

Vegetable and stars soup

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups tomato juice
• 2 cups low-sodium broth (vegetable or chicken)
• ½ tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
• 2 cups frozen vegetable blend (carrots, peas, green beans)
• 6 oz stellini star-shaped pasta
• 3 tbs grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

• Bring tomato juice, broth, Italian seasonings and garlic to a boil.
• Add the frozen vegetables and star-shaped pasta. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes until pasta is cooked and soup has thickened slightly.
• Stir in the Parmesan cheese and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from eatright.org.

Next steps:

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