Helpful Tips To Supercharge Your Soups & Popcorn
(Family Features) - As the weather turns cooler, soup is a delicious and healthful way to warm up. From homemade to prepared varieties, nourishing soups also can satisfy your hunger by making you feel full longer.
Wendy Bazilian, DrPH, MA, RD, author of "The SuperFoodsRx Diet," recommends choosing soups packed with flavorful "SuperFoods" like beans, lean chicken or turkey, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes - and especially spices and herbs.
"Using spices and herbs does more than just add flavor to your favorite soups without added calories or sodium. They are also concentrated sources of natural antioxidants, with levels comparable to fruits and vegetables, including many of the SuperFoods," says Dr. Bazilian. "With just a dash, pinch or sprinkle of spices and herbs, you can turn your favorite soup into a flavorful 'super soup.'"
Whether you're cooking up a batch of a hearty, homemade soup on the weekend or just looking to add healthful twists to prepared soups, spices and herbs are a better-for-you swap for traditional soup toppings such as croutons, cheese or sour cream - adding flavor without extra salt, sugar or fat.
Find more flavorful and healthful soup recipes, as well as tips for pairing spices and herbs with canned or prepared soups, at www.spicesforhealth.com.
SUPER SOUP Flavor-Ups
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Give canned chicken soup an Asian flair. Stir 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder into 2 cups soup. Sprinkle with sliced green onions, if desired.
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Turn tomato or potato soup from dull to delicious. Stir 1/2 teaspoon curry powder into 2 cups soup.
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Top off your broccoli or tomato soup with a spicy crunch. Heat 1/2 teaspoon olive oil in small nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add 1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, and 1/8 teaspoon each ground cumin, oregano leaves and chili powder; cook and stir
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3 to 4 minutes or until nuts are fragrant and lightly browned.
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Add a dollop of color and flavor with spiced yogurt. Stir favorite spices and herbs into low-fat plain yogurt, about 1 tablespoon for each serving of soup. Try turmeric for lentil or split pea soup, oregano for black bean soup and ground cinnamon or ginger for butternut squash or pumpkin soup.
- Popcorn makes a fun garnish for soup. Try sprinkling hot popcorn with spices such as curry powder, paprika or ground red pepper.
