Buying canned soup is easy, but when you can’t control the ingredients you wind up with a bowl full of preservatives and sodium. Making your own vegetable soup is a lot better, giving you total control.
Adding in plenty of hearty substances will make your soup a whole lot better for you, and taste better as well. While this seems like a very time-consuming task, all it really takes is an hour and the right ingredients.
Add the Greens
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Leafy greens are more than just a way to add texture and color to your soup. They’re packed with health benefits and cook quickly. Spinach, kale, and escarole are some of my favorites, but don’t be afraid to try something else. Keep in mind that as they cook they shrink, so what you think is a lot is actually about half the size.
Mix Up the Beans
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Beans are an amazing source of protein and fiber. If you lead a vegetarian diet, these are a must. Choose from kidney, white, black, and garbanzo. Make sure to drain and rinse beans from a can in order to remove any excess salt.
Load Up on Veggies
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You can’t have veggie soup without a lot of veggies. Nix the typical carrots, onion, and celery combo. Try adding potatoes, tomatoes, squash, corn, and peas to this trio for more nutrition and flavor.
Nail the Seasonings
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Buying premade broth usually contains a good amount of sodium, so add water to make it more subtle. Sprinkling in olive oil, oregano, bay leaves, and paprika give your soup that umph it needs. A classic seasoning I love to include is black pepper.
Change Up the Pasta
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Pasta is a food we all know and love. Although adding this carb heavy substance may seem like a bad idea, it fits in great with a well balanced diet. You don’t want fettuccine and penne crowding up your bowl, so choose the smaller ones like orzo, ditalini, and pastina.
Photo by Krista D’Archi