Affordable Balanced Soup

Beksnevin
Beksnevin Posts: 22
in Recipes
Hi All

Does anyone have a recipe for a soup that incorporates all we need for a healthy low cal meal? I need a cost effective one that I can make and have for lunch and supper as I end up not eating or eating all wrong if I dont have a packed lunch.
Anyone?!

Replies

  • virgocoley
    virgocoley Posts: 80 Member
    I bought a huge bag of carrots yesterday int he reduced section in the supermarket. I also bought some coriander.

    I fried off an onion in a little bit of olive oil then added the carrots with some stock. waited for the carrots to soften then added the coriander and whizzed it up - there you go really low cal carrot and coriander soup, I has a couple of ryvitas with mine as opposed to bread.

    Hope this helps.
  • Beksnevin
    Beksnevin Posts: 22
    Thank you! Yes that gives me ideas. I guess i could use a 4-in1 soup mix for prottein and carbs. That would be cost effective for me thank you
  • Mistyblu08
    Mistyblu08 Posts: 580 Member
    veggie beef soup- use lean meats of whatever type you have on hand....fry with tblsp olive oil with onion, green pepper til browned nicely, add low sodium beef or chicken broth- or boullion cubes with some water- whichever you have on hand....add diced potato, carrots, rutabaga, cauliflower....any veggies you have.. you can add canned beans as well...add can of diced tomato....barley, wheat berries etc....leave on low until veggies/barleys are soft and its done ...salt and pepper to taste....you can add whatever herbs you like as well to add a different flavor....you can also make this without the meat if needed but I like having the protein in there.
  • Beksnevin
    Beksnevin Posts: 22
    Thank you so much. I have never made soups before but realise now that I need to make a whole pot of food for me or else I just sabotage myself daily.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    The best soups are the ones that have no recipes whatsoever and that use any of your left over side dishes from previous night's dinner.

    If I made a steak tip dinner with broccoli/cauliflower side with parmesan and butter... then its going to be a pureed soup using the vegetables, fresh beef stock, and I will finely chop up the leftover steak tips for the soup. A freshly shaved piece of parmesan on top, reheat in the microwave and voila! A complete soup reconstructed from the meal previously had!
  • SallyStarshine
    SallyStarshine Posts: 10
    Lentil soup. There's a million recipes out there. I usually do some variation on lentils, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, italian herb mix, canned tomatoes and vegetable/chicken broth. Simmer in the crockpot and I've got low-cal, high protein, high fiber soup all week. You can vary it by mixing in a little rice or quinoa, some hot sauce, curry powder, or whatever you have. It usually works out to about $.80 per serving.
  • SuperSexyDork
    SuperSexyDork Posts: 1,669 Member
    Black bean soup! It can be made in a slow cooker so you don't have to fuss with it and a bag of black beans is ridiculously cheap! Also, for added protein, smoked turkey sausage makes a great addition!
  • skyeashlee
    skyeashlee Posts: 108 Member
    I have a great recipe, well its basic but good for health...
    2 chicken stock cubes
    1 chicken stock liquid
    1 pkt french onion soup
    cumin
    garlic
    chili
    lentils/chickpeas/ red kidney beans
    1kg carrots
    1 bunch celery
    500 g beans (if they dont make u bloated!!!)
    1x capsicum
    1 x zucchini
    bag of baby spinach leaves...basically veges of ur desire
    chop up roughly and leave for a few hrs in a slow cooker
    then blend thickly (i add the lentils/chickpeas after soup is blended)
    and store !! YUMMO!! this is a great meal, snack, vege intake and most of all super healthy! u could technically eat as much as u like whenever u like :O)
  • shaynak112
    shaynak112 Posts: 751 Member
    Barley, onion, beans (chickpeas are my fave but a mixture of beans is great if you have it), and lots of veggies! We have huge bags of beans that we get in bulk. A bag of barley (good for making soup 2-3 times, 12 cups in each batch) is less than 1.50. Then just fresh veggies ... whatever is cheapest!!! Vegetable stock is good as well. Then add any spices that you like!
  • skyeashlee
    skyeashlee Posts: 108 Member
    sorry i forgot .....1x bunch shallots !! :O)
  • simonsayzz
    simonsayzz Posts: 25 Member
    My all time favorite:

    14 c water
    14 beef bouillon cubes ( or equivalent to water ratio)
    I large can crushed tomatoes
    Onion
    Garlic
    Celery
    Green pepper
    Cabbage
    Carrots
    Spinach
    I pound of lean, drained, and rinsed burger
    Handful of spaghetti noodles, although you could omit them for low carb
    2 bay leaves
    Black pepper to taste
    2 tsp. Italian seasoning

    Yummo!
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    I prefer to make my own soup stocks fresh from scratch and in bulk amounts, no chemicals or processed food-items.. just the good stuff - and its VERY cheap to make too!

    Ill roast up the bones with olive oil and mirepoix, fresh garlic, fresh herbs... Let it boil down and then fresh water added as needed.

    While it boils, I prep up my carrots, onions, celery, tomatoes, garlic, zucchini, summer-squash, broccoli, cauliflower.. a true power-house of hearty vegetables.

    Fresh herbs like dill, basil, thyme and rosemary are essential.

    Fresh chicken, beef, pork, seafood for the individual stocks that came off the bone to begin with.

    Some stock is saved for future meals of making real gravy or for just heating up and drinking.



    Tonight is a pork butt that I have rubbed down for dinner tonight. I already have prepped up some extra vegetables to make a hearty southwestern style soup!
  • sklgwd
    sklgwd Posts: 1
    This is our favorite one, easy to make, and very healthy.

    Saute 1/2 chopped onion, and 1 small stalk of celery, chopped in soup pot, sprayed with Pam.

    Add:

    1 tbsp of tomato paste and cook for another minute.
    1 piece of Butterball Everyday Turkey Sausage - chopped/sliced

    Then add:
    1 can of navy beans, cannelloni beans, pinto beans, or black beans - including the liquid. (Choose your favorite!)
    1 small can of corn.
    1 can of green beans, rinsed and drained.

    Add Chicken stock to fill the pot to within an inch of the top.

    Add 1 tsp of dried basi and 1 tsp of dried oregano.
    Add red pepper flakes to taste.
    Add salt and pepper to taste. (The turkey sausage will give alot of salt and smokey flavor.)

    Let simmer for 20 minutes or so.

    Serve over rice.

    It's sooo good!
  • Beksnevin
    Beksnevin Posts: 22
    Thank you! I have copied them all down and will give them all a try for sure. Will definitely be easier to stay on track with these, thankfully I like soups!
  • jasondavey8562
    jasondavey8562 Posts: 2 Member
    This is one of my recipes.

    Filling low calorie vegetable soup.
    Ingredients:
    Oxo - Chicken Stock Cube, 2 cube
    Asda Smart Price Tin Data - Chopped Tomatoes (Tin), 1 tin
    Asda - Vegetable Medley - Carrots , Broccoli and Cauliflower
    Asda Fresh Tastes - Casserole Vegetables , 2 pack
    Asda - Pasta Twists Fusilli, 87.5 g
    Asda Smart Price - Red Kidney Beans, 1 container (1 can ea.)
    Asda Smart Price - Red Kidney Beans In Water (240g Drained Weight)
    herbs,spices as desired

    Directions:
    Put all of the ingredients in a very large stock pot. Add two stock cubes to as much water as it takes to cover the ingredients. Bring to the boil, then having it bubbling gently for about 1 hour, then add your pasta straight in for a final 10 mins. Makes minimum 8 portions (probably more).

    So simple a man can do it!

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