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‘Tis the season to warm up!  When we think of winter, a warm bowl of soup with a nice toasty whole grain roll comes to mind.  Soup has many benefits from a taste AND a nutrition point of view – so naturally, it’s one of our choice meals!  But not all soups are created equal so we wanted to share some of the main things that you should look for in a soup as well as one of our favorite quick and easy soup meal ideas.  Enjoy and stay warm and healthy! 

How to choose and create healthful soup…

1.       Check the sodium:  We’re not opposed to pre-made soups as long as the sodium is under control.  Find a soup brand that offers a lower sodium version of their regular soups, such as Progresso lower in sodium, or one of our favorites, Pacific brand lower in sodium roasted red pepper and tomato soup, and Amy’s Organic Light in Sodium versions.  Trader Joe’s soups also come in lower sodium varieties.  Ideally, look for the sodium content to be under 450 mg per cup of soup.   If you’re making the soup at home be conscious of hidden sodium by reading labels and choosing low sodium broth (chicken, veggie, or beef). Use herbs and spices like garlic, thyme, bay leaves, cumin, chili powder, curry, etc. to add flavor without salt. 

2.       V is for veggies and volume:  One of the great things about soup is that it’s an excellent way to pack antioxidant-rich vegetables into a hearty, one-pot meal.  Vegetables also add fiber and volume to the soup, helping to make you feel more full and satisfied with the meal for fewer calories.  Soups are also a great outlet for using those vegetables in your refrigerator that are just  about to be ready to toss. When making a soup from scratch, you can add any veggie– some of the ones that we like are spinach, kale, chopped celery, zucchini, onion, peppers, and mushrooms.  Or think about making pureed soups using more starchy vegetables as the main ingredient, such as pumpkin, butternut squash, or sweet potato.  Add nonfat powdered milk, or pureed cooked cauliflower to add creaminess without the need for heavy cream. 

3.       Avoid heavy cream-based soups such as “cream of”, “bisque”, or “chowder” unless you’re making it at home, in which case you can substitute much of the cream (reducing the saturated fat)  with nonfat powdered milk or pureed cooked cauliflower.

From can to meal in under 15 minutes:
This is one of our regular standbys when we’re short on time or just want something warm, tasty, and quick.  Start with a cup of lower sodium soup such as roasted red pepper and tomato.  While heating soup, add a chopped veggie burger and a large portion of frozen vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, carrots, etc.  Let all ingredients come to a slow boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer for about 5-6 minutes.  The extra ingredients enhance the flavor of the soup.  If you don’t care for the veggie burger, substitute another source of protein such as canned sal