Soup’s On

I love soup.  Those days when you just need warmth & comfort – perfect soup days!  There are so many reasons I talk soup up to my clients – in particular homemade soups.  Making your own soup makes sure you know what is in it – or more importantly what ISN’T in it!  Canned soup tends to have a lot of salt, additives & preservatives.  Besides, with all of the great recipes out there, why just eat boring old canned soup???  😉

Here are the top 5 reasons to eat your soup:

• Thick soups are an excellent way to get more veggies into your life!  Adding chopped spinach or kale at the end of cooking, boosts your soup’s vitamin, mineral & antioxidant content – which will help fight off those colds & flus, as well as being great for energy levels & your skin!
• Economical – you can throw a soup together with most any ingredient you have in your fridge.  Making a large batch of your favorite soup is a great way to save money – freeze it for lunches, or another dinner {not to mention how delicious your house will smell when it is cooking!}.
• Boosts weight loss – the protein you can add to soup, as well as the fibre from the veggies curbs hunger, and leaves you feeling satisfying for longer which is perfect for losing weight!
• Easy on your belly!  Soup is one of the top foods I recommend to anyone with chronic illnesses or with lowered immune systems.  Because it is easy to digest, it is one of the best foods to help your body heal.
• Increases your water intake.  Many of the people I talk to are not drinking enough water which lowers your metabolism & energy, increases cravings, headaches & hunger, and leaves your body very depleted.  Soup is a great way to increase your water without feeling like you are!

After Christmas is the perfect time to try out some new soup recipes.  It is cold outside, we have loads of turkey to finish up, and all of our digestive systems could use a little kick-start after everything we ate over the holidays.  🙂  Here is my favorite turkey soup recipe – I plan on relaxing with a big bowl of it over the next week.  I hope you enjoy it!

Turkey, Vegetable, and Wild Rice Soup
*makes 4 large servings

Ingredients:
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1/2 large onion, chopped
-3/4 cup carrots, chopped
-3 stalks celery, chopped
-8 oz. (1 small package) button mushrooms, sliced
-2 cups fresh spinach
-2 cups fresh kale
-2 cups wild rice, cooked according to package directions
-4 cups chicken broth {or homemade turkey broth}
-1 cup turkey, cooked and shredded
-1 dried bay leaf
-seasonings to taste (I used dried thyme, garlic powder, dried basil, and pepper)

Directions:
1. In a large stockpot, saute onions, carrots, and celery in 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. After 5 minutes, or when onions are translucent, add chopped mushrooms and continue to saute until soft.
2. Add chicken {or turkey} broth, bay leaf, and seasonings and heat for 5-10 minutes.
3. Stir in rice, turkey, and greens. Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes, until heated through. Season with additional pepper, to taste.