Abhilasha V, HOD & Chief Clinical Nutritionist- Cloudnine group of hospitals, Bengaluru
Soups are one of the healthiest foods. And come wintertime, everyone innately craves for a bowl to keep themselves cosy and warm. The best thing about soups are that they are easy to make, comforting, filling and oh-so-nourishing.
Here are some interesting soup recipes that you can try this season to stay cosy and healthy.
1] Noodle chicken soup: A satisfying meal in a bowl.
Ingredients :
- 2 tbsp. olive or any cold pressed oil of choice.
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, chopped
- Few spinach leaves
- To taste : salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 100 ml chicken stock [made by boiling chicken in a pressure cooker].
- 200 grams chicken diced or long sliced
- noodles – of your choice- you can select from millet noodles to whole wheat to regular.
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Method:
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, suntil softened and golden brown, stir occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Add chicken stock and chicken pieces. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through about 30 minutes. Add spinach in.
- Add millet/ whole wheat/ regular noodles to soup and cook, until tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in coriander and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Benefits:
1] Chicken gives us good quality protein, B complex vitamins, other vitamins and trace minerals of importance. An immunity booster , helps in driving the sniffles away: hence the common line of “chicken soup for the soul”.
2] The spices added here gives us the much needed warmth in winters and lot of antioxidant benefits.
3] The noodles give us carbs needed for daily energy needs and is easy to digest as its in a well boiled non-fried form.
4] Mothers in pregnancy can count on this bowl for wholesome nutrition.
5]Kids also would love this soup as it looks attractive and most kids love the playful texture of the noodles.
2] POPEYE SOUP : Green :the forever superfood.
Ingredients:
- ▢ 1 tbsp Cold pressed oil
- ▢ 1 bay leaf
- ▢ ¼ onion (finely chopped)
- ▢ 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
- ▢ 1 bunch palak / spinach leaves
- ▢ ¼ cup water (to blend)
- ▢ ½ cup milk
- ▢ salt to taste
- ▢ ½ tsp pepper (crushed)
- ▢ 1 tbsp corn flour
- ▢ 1 tsp unsalted butter
- Chia seeds: 1 tsp
METHOD:
- In a large kadai, add oil and bay leaf. Saute till it turns aromatic.
- Add finely chopped onions and garlic. Saute till they turn golden brown.
- Next, add palak leaves. Saute on medium flame for a minute till they shrink.
- Allow to cool completely and remove the bay leaf.Transfer the mixture to blender and blend to smooth puree adding water as required.
- Bring back the blended puree to the same kadai.
- Pour in half cup of milk.
- Add salt, give it a good stir and get the puree to boil.
- Add crushed black pepper.
- Now add in the corn flour paste and give a quick stir.
- Pour the soup in a bowl of choice and add a dollop of unsalted butter on top with chia seeds and enjoy!
BENEFITS:
1] Spinach is one of the popular leafy greens around and are rich in Folate, Iron and Vitamin A. It helps in improving your immunity by increasing the Vitamin -A in your diet and also helps up the iron count a bit too! The chia seeds add a dash of Omega-3 fats too.
2] Mothers in pregnancy would love the neutral taste of this soup and can make for a healthy snack option in between meals.
3] Kids can relate this wonder green to the Popeye cartoon and be encouraged to have this soup with wheat crackers, breadtsicks or cheese toast of their choice!
3] CLEAR AND COLORFUL VEGGIE SOUP :
Chase the winter blues away with this.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tsp olive oil / any cold-pressed oil
- 2 -4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 inch ginger (chopped)
- ½ cup spring onions (finely chopped)
- 1 cup cauliflower or broccoli (florets)
- 5 mushrooms (thinly sliced)
- 1 carrot (sliced)
- 1 cup cabbage (roughly chopped)
- 5 cups veg stock / water
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp pepper (crushed)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
METHOD
- Heat oil in a pan / kadai.
- Saute garlic and ginger till golden.
- Add in the spring onions and continue to saute. [You an also use pink or white onions].
- Add in the mushrooms and continue to saute for 2-4 minutes.
- You can add any vegetables of your choice or as mentioned above in list.
- Put in some salt and saute on high flame for 2 minutes.
- Time now to add in the vegetable stock or water.
- Boil the soup for 10 minutes or till vegetables are partially cooked.
- Crush some pepper, add it in and mix well.
- Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Last step add some freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Serve this colorful veggie clear soup piping hot in your favorite bowl.
BENEFITS:
1] This soup is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals and can fill your tummy keeping you nourished for hours.
2] Mothers who are bored of having the same old subji and salad daily can use this as an alternative to meet their fibre and nutrient needs.
3] Kids love to see many colors and textures in one place so this will make them interested to have a bowl at family meal time.
4] RED WARM COMFORT : Bright,energising and comforting at once.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons butter or any oil of choice
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 2 cups tomato puree [blanch tomatoes, and puree them].
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp sugar /jaggery
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup cooked macaroni /pasta of choice
- Chopped fresh coriander, optional
METHOD:
- In a pan over medium to low heat, add oil.
- Add flour; stir to form a smooth paste. Gradually add tomato puree and water, stirring constantly; bring to a boil.
- Cook and stir until thickened, on low flame for about 2 minutes.
- Add sugar/jaggery and salt. Stir in macaroni/ pasta and heat through.
- In the end sprinkle with coriander and serve with your favorite healthy bread for the most comfortable meal of this season!
BENEFITS:
1] Lycopene in tomatoes is an important antoixidant that helps in protecting skin health and fighting inflammation in the body.
2] Moms-to-be who struggle to have tomato salad can use this recipe for adding the benefits of tomato into their diets. The absorption of Vitamin-A in tomatoes with added fat is much more superior too.
3] Kids love bright colors and this is an all-time favorite in winter months. You can add in grated cheese or satue’d paneer chunks for making it more chunky for kids.
5] WINTER WHITE EGG DROP SOUP: The easiest way to make a soup!
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 cups chicken broth [can be made by pressure-cooking chicken with spices of choice and separating the stock].
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch powder+ 2 tablespoons cold water : Make a paste.
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Salt and pepper
METHOD:
- In a large pan, bring the chicken broth to a boil over medium to low heat.
- Combine cornstarch and water until smooth to make a paste; gradually stir into broth.
- Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened to consistency of your choice.
- Reduce heat. Keep at lowest flame.
- Drizzle beaten egg into hot broth, stirring constantly nonstop.
- Remove from the heat; add salt pepper and your white protein rich soup is ready to serve!
TIP: To avoid large, clumpy eggs, pour very very slowly while also swirling the broth with a whisk or fork. This will result in thin, beautiful egg ribbons.
You also add boiled veggies or pasta to make this soup a meal in itself.
BENEFITS:
1] Egg is a complete protein and of the best quality one available.
2] Along with protein, eggs hold a lot of vitamins and minerals essential for good overall health.
3] Moms-to-be can meet their one egg a day in various forms and this can be one way.
4] Kids love the glassy texture and swirls formed in the bowl for visual stimulation.