Soup to Warm Up Winter
Is soup your go-to winter meal? It’s easy to see why.
“I love soup,” said Julie Mellen, registered dietitian and clinical dietitian specialist with Upstate Health Care Center. “Soup is such a comforting, versatile, filling and nutritious one-pot meal. It can be put together quickly on the stove or in a crockpot.”
She added that soup is basically any combination of:
• Protein — chicken, beef, pork, fish, beans and lentils
• Fresh, frozen or canned vegetables — carrots, celery, onion, tomatoes, spinach, kale, broccoli, squash, herbs, etc. and even jarred salsa
• Water or broth — vegetable, chicken, beef, canned tomatoes or bone broth for extra protein
• Whole grain — brown rice, barley, pasta or potato
Combine these “and you have a delicious, well-balanced, nutritious, one-pot meal full of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, protein and fiber,” Mellen said. “Soup freezes well so if you make a big pot and have leftovers, it is an easy way to meal prep.”
“Soup can be an excellent aid to your nutrition for the winter,” said Jen Haefele, registered dietitian and owner of Nutrition Counseling Services in Rochester. “Cold weather can impact hydration and fiber intake. You might not be in the mood for a chilled salad and ice water when there’s snow on the ground. This can impact digestive regularity and decrease vitamin and mineral intake.
“Soup is a convenient way to make sure you’re staying hydrated and getting the micronutrients that your body needs. I’d encourage picking soups that have a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and produce to promote satiety.”
Haefele shared a few of her favorite soup recipes:
One Pot Vegetarian Pesto Tortellini
Ingredients:
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach
• 12 ounce refrigerated cheese tortellini
• 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped – or 1 tsp dried oregano
• ¾ cup sun dried tomato pesto
• 2 ounce cream cheese, cubed
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
• ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, julienned
Instructions:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms, sauté 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and spinach, sauté 2-3 minutes. Add the tortellini, vegetable broth and oregano, stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to low, cook 7-8 minutes. Add the sundried tomato pesto, cream cheese and parmesan cheese, stir until the cheese melts into the dish, allow to cook on low for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and top with the sun-dried tomatoes.
High Protein Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 4 cups chopped broccoli
• 2 cups 1% milk
• 4 ounce cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, blended
• Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and continue to cook over medium heat for one minute. Add the smoked paprika and flour and cook for one minute, stirring until the vegetables are coated with flour. Add the broth and broccoli and bring to a simmer.
Simmer the broccoli for 8-9 minutes until softened. Add the milk and cook over low heat until the soup is warm.
Add the blended cottage cheese and shredded cheese and stir until melted. Be careful not to turn the heat up too high or the milk will curdle.
Transfer one cup of soup to a blender and blend, allowing steam to escape through the vent. Transfer the blended soup back to the pot. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to gently blend the soup.
Add salt to taste, if needed.
Lasagna Soup
www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com
Ingredients:
• 1 pound lean ground beef, (Italian sausage can be used)
• 1 cup diced onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 4 cups (32 ounce) low sodium beef broth (chicken broth can be substituted)
• 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 6 uncooked lasagna noodles, broken into 1 1/2 inch pieces (about 6-8 ounces)
Cheese Topping:
• 8 ounces 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
In a large Dutch oven or saucepan, brown beef and onion over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30-60 seconds. Drain.
Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, and Italian seasonings. Bring mixture to a boil and stir in lasagna pieces. Reduce heat slightly and cook for about 10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the cheese topping: In a small bowl, mixture together the ricotta, Parmesan and salt.
To serve, spoon soup in a bowl and top with a dollop of the cheese mixture. Garnish with chopped parsley or fresh basil if desired. To eat, stir in cheese mixtures and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
You can use any small shaped pasta in place of the lasagna noodles just use about 2 1/2 cups. The lasagna noodles really give it that authentic texture.
Also, if you are making ahead of time it would be a good idea to boil the lasagna noodles separately and then add them before eating. The lasagna noodles really soak up the liquid if they sit in the soup for a while. You can add some beef broth if you need to thin it out.