SOUPS FOR COLD DAYS

When the weather turns cool, I really crave warm, soul-satisfying foods. It’s a dangerous time for my diet. A great trick is to eat a bowl of filling but low-fat, low-calorie soup along with a meal. A warm, well-seasoned soup satisfies my need for comfort food without blowing my diet.
Of course, that is the theory behind the famous "cabbage soup diet " which I definitely do not recommend. First of all, it calls for a cabbage soup that is far too salty. It also calls for eating the soup, which is very low in calories, all day long with a lopsided series of foods. The diet is not at all healthy because it contains too few nutrients. I know a lot of people who have actually become weak and dizzy from that diet. I confess that my husband and I were two of those people! We tried it many years ago.

Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes. We have discovered that the only way to lose weight and keep it off is to change our lifestyle and food choices, permanently. I suggest any of the following nutritious soups to go along with a sandwich or salad for lunch. They are also great as a first course before dinner. After a soup course, you will probably eat a lot less. I should note that the cabbage soup below is a healthy version containing beans for protein and is intended to go with a well-rounded diet. Common sense is important in weight loss and maintenance.

Cabbage Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
3 cups low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
1 can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 cup cooked Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
(1/2 cup dried will yield about 1 cup cooked)
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash® tomato, basil and garlic seasoning
Apple cider vinegar
In a large soup kettle, saute the onion and green pepper in the olive oil. Add the remaining ingredients, except the vinegar, and simmer until the cabbage is just done. Serve steaming hot and add a splash of apple cider vinegar to each bowl.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 large or two small butternut squash
Cooking spray - butter flavored
1 medium onion-thinly sliced
2 cups low-fat, low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
1 medium-sized sweet potato-sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
cayenne pepper to taste
pinch of salt, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Put the squash cut-side-down on a cookie sheet or in a baking dish. Bake until it is soft–40-45 minutes. Cool.
Meanwhile, spray a sauce pan with cooking spray and saute the onions over medium-low heat until they are soft and translucent. Add the stock, garlic, cumin, coriander, ginger root and sweet potato. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potato is very tender.

Scoop the meat from the butternut squash and add it to the soup. Add the lemon juice. Stir to mix. Let it cool and then, using a blender, puree the soup in small batches. Return it to the pot, reheat gently and stir in the sour cream. Season to taste with salt, if using, and cayenne pepper. Serve hot.

Tomato Soup

1 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 cup low sodium, low fat beef stock
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves*
(Or 1 tablespoon dried basil)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of salt, optional
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 large fresh tomato, chopped
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
Extra fat-free sour cream
Extra basil leaves

In a large sauce pan, combine the diced tomatoes, beef stock, basil leaves, garlic powder, salt, if using, and pepper. Bring to a low boil, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
Cool and then puree in a blender. Return to the sauce pan and stir in the chopped fresh tomato and sour cream. Heat through.

Serve hot, garnished with a dollop of sour cream and a basil leaf, if desired
*This soup is better if you can find fresh basil, but dried will do. The basil in our garden is just about finished for the year.

Mushroom Soup

1/4 ounce dried mushrooms
1/2 cup boiling water
Cooking spray (preferably butter-flavored)
8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk, approximately
Pinch of salt, optional
Black Pepper to taste

Soak the dried mushrooms in the boiling water for about 30 minutes.

Spray a heavy skillet with cooking spray. Add the sliced mushrooms and gently sautee over medium low until cooked. Drain and chop the dried mushrooms reserving the broth.
In a large sauce pan, combine the mushroom broth, chopped dried mushrooms, chicken stock, celery, onion, paprika and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Add the sauteed mushrooms. Mix the cornstarch with a small amount of water. Add the cornstarch to the soup. Gently bring to a low boil stirring constantly until thickened. Cook another minute or two. It will be quite thick at this point.

Stir in the evaporated milk–enough to thin the soup to the desired consistency. Heat through.