January: National Soup Month

It’s cold outside, and I know I should eat my super-foods, but the last thing I want is a blueberry smoothie or a fresh crisp salad to remind me that it’s not summer. This means it’s time to get creative, or I’ll end up hibernating with my friend mac-&-cheese all winter.

Luckily, January is National Soup Month, and a great time to work some of those super foods into your winter-warming menu.

  

Whole Grains

Whole grains like brown rice, barley, and quinoa are perfect for soups and stews, and can be a hearty low-calorie replacement in recipes that call for pasta. Both barley and quinoahave about 3 grams of dietary fiber per half cup, and brown rice has nearly 2 grams. The additional fiber can help you feel full longer, possibly avoiding the dreadful winter weight gain. Here are some ways to try these grains in soup:

• Mushroom barley soup. This is a no brainer — it goes together like peanut butter and jelly. Trying loading it up with carrots and chickpeas for an even bigger nutritional punch.

• Black bean soup with quinoa. Quinoa only takes about 15 minutes to cook, so you can enjoy this in no time.

• Chicken soup with brown rice – instead of noodles. (Also yummy in vegetable soup.)

Beans

There are millions of soups to be made with beans, peas, and lentils. Packed with protein, fiber, and antioxidants, beans can keep you satiated while helping to prevent chronic disease.

• Try white bean chicken chili, or white bean kale soup.

• Add pureed or mashed white beans instead of flour to thicken potato soup.

• Try adding a can of fat-free refried beans to thicken beef stews or chili.

• Get your luck and money all in one pot, with a black-eyed pea and kale soup.

Veggies and Nuts

• Broccoli is super for its cancer fighting properties. Try a simple and low-fat cream of broccoli soup made with low-fat milk.

• Avocados are rich in healthyfats and can be chopped into tortilla or black bean soup. They are also a nice thickener for stews if pureed.

• For an added crunch, sprinkle heart-healthy chopped walnuts or pistachios on top of individual bowls.

At Peoria Club Fitness, we have a great selection of soups for the month such as Chicken Jambalaya, Hearty Chicken Sausage with Kale and White Cannellini Beans, Brunswick Stew, Hearty Beef and Barley Stew, Butternut Squash and Apple, and Hearty Tomato Stew with Black-eyed Peas and Turnip Greens to name a few.

Contact Jessy for additional recipes!