Comforting and Delicious Homemade Soup Recipes
Hi all, Coach Jeri here! As February brings cooler weather, our cravings turn to foods that offer warmth and comfort. Soups, in particular, can be incredibly satisfying, filling, and low in calories and BITES. Even for those who aren’t fond of vegetables, soups provide an easy way to incorporate essential vitamins and fiber into their diet. Unlike store-bought options loaded with sodium and preservatives, homemade soups allow you to control what goes into your meal. You can make a large pot, divide it into individual servings, and freeze them for later use. Here are a few of my favorite homemade soups, and the best part is, you can get creative and customize them to your liking. There’s no right or wrong way to make soup—experimenting and being creative is key to a healthy lifestyle.
Easy, Homemade Recipes
Apple and Squash Soup:
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 butternut squash, cubed
- 1/3 medium onion
- 1 apple
- Salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste
Combine broth, squash, onion, and apple in a pot. Cover and boil over medium heat, then simmer until squash is tender (about 10 minutes). Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Zucchini Soup:
- 1/2 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- Handful of mushrooms
- 2 1/2 cubed zucchini
- 32 ounces broth
- 2 tbsp fat-free yogurt
- Salt, pepper, grated cheese
Stir-fry onion, garlic, and mushrooms with butter spray. Combine with zucchini and broth over medium heat, bring to a boil, then simmer until tender. Use an immersion blender, add yogurt and seasonings, and blend until smooth.
Basic Tomato Soup:
- 1 can vegetable broth
- Fresh or canned tomatoes (tomato puree or paste)
- Garlic, mushrooms, onion, zucchini, carrots, celery
Simmer fresh tomatoes in broth. Use an immersion blender to puree and strain out the skin and seeds. In a frying pan, stir-fry garlic, mushrooms, zucchini, and onion with butter spray. Add the vegetables to the filtered base along with celery and carrots. Customize by adding other vegetables, chicken, pasta, or rice. For a lower-calorie option, use cauliflower rice instead of real rice.
Homemade soup is not just comforting; it’s also incredibly satisfying, especially as winter is coming to an end. While the colder months can bring resistance to change, trying new recipes in the kitchen can help us embrace the season’s transformations. Embrace the beauty of winter by enjoying warming, and comforting, homemade soup. Just as we prepare for the change of winter to spring, preparing for change is how we can truly live the life we’ve always desired.
