Winter is knocking on the door. No matter what part of the country you live in, you should already feel the temperature drop by at least a few degrees. Cold weather means only one thing – a couple of vitamin bombs to strengthen the immune system and lift the mood. After we already introduced you to recipes for seasonal apple salad, keto hot chocolate, turmeric tea and winter cocktails, today we will focus on a warm, thick and fragrant winter soup that can warm you with one spoonful. Here are some quick and easy soups to tantalize your taste buds.
Hearty winter soup in 5 recipes to keep you comfortable on cold days
In order not to exhaust the body, food in winter should be warm and focus on vegetable food. This means that at least 2/3 of the menu should consist of seasonal vegetables that provide the minerals and vitamins needed for healthy and beautiful hair and skin. In this context, it is logical that it is not recommended to follow restrictive diets in this season, because autumn-winter changes are already aggressive enough for a person. However, the given recipes are included in the list of low-calorie preparations, which at the same time contain a sufficient amount of useful substances to maintain your tone and full shape.
Winter lentil and chard soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 onion cut into cubes
- 3 carrots, cut into cubes
3 celery stalks, diced - 2 crushed cloves of garlic
- Coarsely chop 5 bunches of chard stems and leaves
- 1 cup pumpkin, cut into cubes
- 1/2 tbsp dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon of sea salt
- 1/2 tablespoon of ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup green lentils
- 420 g canned tomatoes, cut into cubes with juice
- 420 g of chickpeas, rinse and dry
- 5 cups of vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instruction
Pour the olive oil into a large pot and heat it over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Then add the chard stems, cubed squash, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Toss to coat with oil and spices and cook for 1 minute.
Add the rest of the ingredients (except the chard leaves and Parmesan) to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the squash is tender and the lentils are cooked.
Stir in chard leaves and cook until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Finally, divide the light winter soup among bowls and garnish with Parmesan, if desired. Have a nice lunch!
Thick Winter Potato Soup (Whole30, Paleo)
Ingredients
- 450 g of bacon, cut into 2.5 cm pieces
- 3 tablespoons of bacon fat
- 1 chopped onion
- 4 crushed cloves of garlic
- 1300 g of potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces (about 1 cm)
- 3 tablespoons tapioca or arrowroot flour
- 4 cups of chicken bone broth
- 1 can of whole coconut milk (400 g)
- 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- chopped green onion for garnish
- additional sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instruction
First, heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add the bacon to cook. When the bacon is crispy, use a slotted spoon to dry it on a paper towel and set it aside for later. Reserve about 3-4 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan and discard the rest. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion. Let them fry for 3 to 5 minutes or until they are soft and fragrant.
Second, add the garlic and cook for another minute until soft. Then add the potatoes and mix. Sprinkle the tapioca flour over the potatoes and mix well. Also add the stock, coconut milk, salt, pepper and nutritional yeast. Stir to mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium or low.
Now pour half of the winter vegetable soup into another pot. Grind the other half in a blender to a smooth puree. Then mix the soup puree with the half and stir well. Alternatively, if you want a creamier seasonal soup with fewer potato chunks, you can puree another batch.
So, add 3/4 of the bacon to the soup and simmer for a few minutes. The bacon will make the soup more salty, so don’t add extra salt until the flavors have blended. After about 5 minutes, taste the soup and season with sea salt and black pepper if desired.
Garnish with plenty of thinly sliced green onions before serving. Or store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Light and slimming vegetable soup – a winter recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into slices
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 crushed clove of garlic
- 1 pinch kosher or sea salt, more or less to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon hot chili pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 420 g of white beans, rinse and dry
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 can (400g) diced tomatoes (no salt added)
- 4 cups of baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Instruction
Place all ingredients except the spinach and olive oil in a casserole dish. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Then add the spinach, stir and continue to cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Tip: If you prefer a thicker soup, remove a portion of your winter soup, mash the ingredients with a fork, return to the pot, stir and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes. When ready to serve, drizzle each bowl of soup with a little olive oil.
Note: Olive oil helps the body absorb nutrients more efficiently and supports a healthy digestive system.
Recipe for Italian winter soup with turkey sausages
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 200-300 g of turkey sausage, cut into pieces
- 1 small chopped onion
- 1 crushed clove of garlic
- 2 cups diced tomatoes
- 4-5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 can (400 g) of washed white beans
- 1 tablespoon of dried herbs such as parsley, oregano, thyme, and rosemary
- 2 cups of spinach
- 1/2 cup small whole-wheat pasta, such as butterflies or elbows
- salt and pepper to taste
Instruction
First, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced sausage and fry for about 3 minutes. Also add the chopped onion and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes until the onion is soft and the sausage is browned. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes.
Pour in the broth and white beans. Sprinkle with dried herbs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Lastly, add the spinach and raw pasta. Return to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for about 10 minutes until the pasta is soft.
A recipe for light homemade soup with porcini mushrooms
Ingredients
- 4 cups of boiling water
- 2 cups of dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 cups chopped shallots
- 1 crushed clove of garlic
- 1 glass of sherry wine
- 1400 g of chopped fresh mushrooms
- 1 ½ tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instruction
Step 1
First, pour 2 cups of boiling water over white mushrooms. Leave to rest for 20 minutes. Drain the mushrooms in a colander over a bowl, reserving the broth. Strain the liquid through a cheesecloth-lined colander into a bowl. Stir cornstarch, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and remaining 2 cups boiling water into mushroom broth. Postpone.
2nd step
Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add sherry. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
Step 3
Combine the white mushrooms, stock mixture, shallot mixture, fresh mushrooms and thyme in a large pot. Cover and cook over high heat until the vegetables are very soft and the flavors have blended. Then remove the lid and cook until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
Transfer 2 cups of soup to a blender. Remove the center part of the lid to let the steam escape; secure the lid on the blender. Place a clean towel over the opening of the lid to prevent splashes. Blend until smooth, about 10 seconds. Return the strained winter soup to the pan; gently stir in the cream. Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot.
Sources : pulses.org
paleorunningmomma.com
skinnyms.com
wishfulchef.com
eatingwell.com