Soups are a fantastic, yet underrated way to consume a wide variety of nutrients in your diet. They provide you with the opportunity to fit a wide array of vegetables and legumes into just one meal.
My advice for making soups is to aim for them to be as balanced and nutritious as possible For example, when making a pumpkin soup we would not just want to add pumpkin, carrot and broth, as this is not filling or a complete meal. We would also want to add some sweet potato for healthy high-fibre carbohydrates, as well as either white beans or silken tofu to blend into the soup for protein, making it more of a complete meal.
TIPS FOR BUILDING A NUTRITIOUS SOUP
Choose at least 3 different vegetables (the more the better)
Choose a protein > Beans/lentils for a minestrone-like soup > Silken tofu or white beans for pureed soups > Silken tofu for Asian style soups
Choose a high-fibre carbohydrate > Potato or sweet potato > Pasta shells > Brown rice / risoni > Soba noodles > Crusty sourdough to serve
Top with nutrient-boosting foods such as nutritional yeast or hemp seeds for extra B group vitamins, healthy fats and omega 3.
BENEFITS OF A WELL-BALANCED SOUP:
Improvided gut health through plant diversity: We know that consuming a wide range of plant foods improves our gut health. The recommendation of 30 plants per week can be achieved quite easily when you add soup into your diet.
High fibre - Fibre is the food that feeds our gut bacteria, it also assists with cholesterol lowing and heart health.
Good source of Iron and Zinc
1 serving of this recipe has 9 plant points per serve and has the potential to be even higher.
Want to know if you're consuming enough plants in your diet? Download your free copy of the 30 Plants Challenge now in order to improve your gut health.
GUT-LOVING VEGGIE SOUP RECIPE - SERVES 6 - 8
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups red lentils, washed and rinsed
1 brown onion, chopped finely
4 Carrots, chopped into small cubes
3 Zucchinis, chopped into small cubes
2 cups pumpkin, chopped into small cubes
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 cups celery, chopped into small cubes
2 Bottles of passata sauce Salt reduced vegetable stock
2 Bay Leaves
2 Garlic cloves or 1 tbs crushed garlic
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp sweet paprika
Olive oil
Nutritional yeast (for topping)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Rinse lentils and place in a bowl. Boil the kettle and place boiling water over lentils for at least 30 minutes before cooking. (TIP: To save time, do this while chopping your vegetables)
2. Into a large pot add olive oil and sauté onion and garlic, add the carrots and pumpkin and
sauté for 5-10 minutes stirring frequently.
3. Add the rest of the vegetables and a little bit of vegetable stock to stop it from sticking to
the bottom, cover with lid and allow to cook until the vegetables soften, around 20 minutes.
4. Add red lentils, pasatta sauce, herbs and enough stock to cover. Leave lid on to simmer for
around 1.5 hours, making sure to stir regularly.
5. To consume, top with nutritional yeast and/or hemp seeds and enjoy!
Notes: Can be kept frozen up to 6 months
If you want to find out more about your individual requirements, book a consultation with Sprout Nutrition today and Melissa can assist you with a personalised diet plan.
Author: This blog post was written by Melissa D'Elia (APD)
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Disclaimer: The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your Dietitian or GP for individualised advice.
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