Lose Weight with these Soups

Eating to keep up or lose weight is about making healthy choices all day long. Planning out your meals ahead of time for the week can help make sure you’ll stick to those choices and are less likely to stray for quicker, unhealthier food options.

One solution, we found to work well, is making a big pot of soup on Sunday, that’s virtually non-fat, that can last the whole week to come.  Quick and easy go-to meals, like soup, makes it simple to just heat up a bowl – for mealtime or even a snack. Our go-to soups are a white bean and spinach soup for something hearty, black bean and sweet potato soup for something packed with flavor and a butternut squash and lentil soup cooked in the slow cooker for something delicious and easy.

You could also easily add some cooked, lean protein to any of these soups for a little something extra at mealtime. Soups are yummy and a great way to keep you on track, but also full at the same time.

WHITE BEAN AND SPINACH SOUP
The canned beans are so creamy and delicious, that when puree and added to soups, you get that creamy taste and texture – with nearly zero of the fat!

Ingredients:

  • spinach-white-bean-soup1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion – chopped
  • 1/2 cup celery – chopped
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon thyme
  • 1-15 oz. can of white kidney (cannellini) beans – with liquid
  • 1 cup low-sodium, fat-free chicken stock or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups fresh spinach – chopped
  • 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery,  garlic, thyme and freshly ground black pepper.  Salute until tender.
  2. Stir in the white beans, chicken stock and water.
  3. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook for 30 minutes.
  4. Reserve and set aside 1 cup of the bean and vegetable mixture.
  5. Puree the soup until smooth with an immersion stick blender, food processor or blender – working in shifts, as needed.
  6. Return the reserved bean and vegetable mixture to the soup, and add the spinach. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
  7. Finish off the soup with the lemon juice and serve.

 Makes 4 1-cup servings at 125 calories and 1 gram of fat.

Continue on to page 2 for the Black Bean and Sweet Potato soup recipe…

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