Method of Making Healthy Soups

What are the health benefits of soups, specfially vegetarian soups? Find various healthy vegetarian soup recipes.

Health Benefits of Soup

Soup is made by boiling ingredients in water or broth until the ingredients become tender and the flavor is extracted. Soups may be clear or thick soups. Soups may be thickened by flour, rice, cornmeal, eggs, butter, starch or cream. The soup may be made of meat, vegetables and beans.

Soups have many health benefits. They are full of nutrients, may be low in calories and are good for diet for sick people, children and people of all ages. Soup and salad together make good foods as these are filling foods. Avoid cream and butter in soup to keep it healthy.

Healthy soups can be pure vegetarian, in which different vegetables are included. Soups can also include sea foods, fish and meat alongwith vegetables. All these soups can be healthy, if they contain less salt and saturated oils.

Soup Recipes

Recipe type: Fat free, cholesterol free
Preparation time: 10 - 30 minute

Submitted by Janaki Bhatia

Ingredients:

• Spinach (Palak), shredded, 1/2 cup
• Peas, 1/2 cup
• Mint (Puidina), 1/4 cup
• Coriander leaves, 1/4 cup, finely chopped
• Onions,1, finely chopped
• Black Pepper, 1/4 tsp
• Cumin (Jeera) seeds, 1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Butter (Optional), 2 tsp

Preparation:

1. Wash all the leafy vegetables and a chop.
2. In a pressure cooker add the peas (reserving little for garnish), the leafy vegetables and onion. Pressure cook up to 1 wistle, do not over cook.
3. Remove puree and add water to get proper consistency.
4. Heat butter in another pan, saut矴he remaining peas, add salt, cumin and pepper, and add the prepared pure. Turn off the gas when it starts to boil,

Serve hot topped with coriander leaves.

Submitted by Philip

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of dried lentils, rinsed and soaked
• 1/4 cup of barley
• 1 onion chopped
• 3 large cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 stalk of celery
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 zucchini chopped
• 1 small can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 6 cups of vegetable broth

Spices

• black pepper, to taste
• basil, to taste
• oregano, to taste
• parsley, to taste
• thyme, to taste
• sage, to taste
• fennel seeds, to taste
• crushed red pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a large pot combine all ingredients, cover, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for one hour or until lentils are tender. Add water for desired consistency.

Ingredients:

• Drained Water of step 4 in the Plain Rice recipe.
• 1 tsp Fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cummin seeds, powedered
• 1/2 tsp powdered dried mint leaves
• 1/2 tsp flour
• 1/2 cup tomato juice/tomato sauce

Directions

1. Take all the ingredients in a skillet and boil for about 5-7 minutes on medium heat, stirring at times.
2. Serve hot.