Soup - The One Dish Meal

This article was originally published on January 28, 2010 and expired on February 28, 2010. It is provided here for archival purposes and may contain dated information.

The TV ads are right—soup warms you up on a cold day. While you can buy soup in a can, it can be healthier if you make your own, says Shirley Camp, University of Illinois Extension nutrition and wellness educator.

When you make soup at home, you are in control of what goes into it, so you can reduce the amount of fat and sodium in a recipe. You can add your family's favorite vegetables and meats to make something tasty that your family will enjoy.

Since many soup recipes make a large quantity, Camp recommends making enough for two meals. Freeze the soup for later use for the entire family, or freeze the soup in individual containers to take for a carried lunch. Either way, you can save money and time.

There are several different types of soups including creamed soup, bisques, vegetable soups, purees, chowders, hearty soups and cold soups. As with any other food, starting with good quality ingredients will give you a higher quality soup.

To bring out the flavors of foods in the soup, vegetables can be sautéed before being added. Lower the fat content by chilling any soup that contains meat; then take the solidified fat off the top. Add more flavor to soup by adding a little bouillon or meat-base.

Most soups can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. For longer storage, chilled soup should be frozen. Remember that some of the seasonings may weaken when you freeze soup, so you may need to make some adjustments when you are reheating it. Some ingredients, such as potatoes, do not freeze well, so you may want to add them when you are reheating the soup.

Try this hearty soup that will fill you up, not out!

Garden Barley Soup

Serves 6

1 (46 oz.) can tomato juice, no salt added

1 (10-1/2 oz.) can beef broth, light

1/2 cup regular barley

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves, crushed

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups coarsely chopped eggplant or zucchini

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/2 cup green pepper, diced

In a Dutch oven, combine tomato juice, beef broth, barley, sugar and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 1 hour. Add vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables and barley are tender.

Note: For a heartier soup, add cooked, shredded beef roast. This will add about 100 calories per serving.

Nutritional analysis per serving (without beef): 130 calories, 10 fat calories, 1 gram fat, 30 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber, 5 grams protein, 180 milligrams sodium

Source: Shirley Camp, MS RD, Extension Educator, Nutrition and Wellness (serving West Central Illinois and surrounding counties), scamp@illinois.edu

Pull date: February 28, 2010