Looking for a winter comfort food that's actually good for you? Soup might just be the answer! There are loads of healthy soup recipes out there to warm you up when it's cold outside. Better yet, January is actually National Soup Month in the United States, so let's get celebrating!
There are so many yummy types of soup!Courtesy of goodtoknow.co.uk
Chicken Noodle Soup
It's that time of year when a lot of people are fighting the common cold or the flu, and what could be more comforting than chicken noodle soup? Canned chicken noodle can be a bit heavy on the salt, though, so it's great if you can make your own at home. Here's what you'll need.
- Chicken broth will be the base of your soup - you can either use homemade broth or you can buy low sodium broth from the grocery store.
- You'll definitely need some chicken. You can boil your chicken in the broth or cook it separately.
- Pack this soup with veggies! Carrots, celery, green onions, and whatever kind of veggie you like will be great in this soup. You'll also want to add spices like thyme according to your personal taste.
- Egg noodles cook up quick and are delicious in chicken noodle soup. You could also add whole wheat noodles to make it extra healthy.
Chicken noodle soup is a classic comfort food. Courtesy of countryliving.com
Sausage and Kale Soup
Kale is one of the healthiest foods you can eat, but some people find it a little bitter when raw. Adding it to a flavorful soup is an excellent way to get the nutritional value and enjoy the taste!
- Obviously, you'll need kale for this soup. Make sure you wash it thoroughly before cooking and eating.
- Chicken broth is the base of this soup as well, and it's recommended that you use chicken or turkey sausages. They are less fatty than pork sausages.
- Cook up some onions, potatoes, and garlic in your chicken powder. Add sausage (can be pre-cooked) and kale and seasonings to taste. Yum!
Kale makes this soup extra healthy. Courtesy of mountainmamacooks.com
Vegetable and Bean Soup
A vegetable and bean soup makes a hearty, healthy meal at any time of year. Beans are high in fiber and protein, and of course vegetables are full of nutrients to keep you healthy.
- The base of your soup can be chicken broth, or if you're looking for a vegetarian option you can use vegetable broth instead.
- You'll need beans, of course. You can use canned, or you can prepare your own dry beans (they may need to be soaked overnight).
- This soup is great with carrots, celery, leeks, spinach, garlic, and rosemary.
- Start with cooking the veggies in the broth, then add beans. Make sure you add the spinach last, because you don't want to overcook it if you can avoid it.
Vegetable and bean soup is super healthy!Courtesy of cookingmatters.org
Obviously, there are lots of different kinds of healthy soups you can try - anything from broccoli cheddar to tomato bisque has easily available ingredients. We hope the above ideas will you get you started, though. Eat up!
Have Your Say!
What's your favorite kind of soup? Our Kidzworld readers want to know!
