Seven Ways to Make Soup Healthier

Give your immune system a power boost with hot and hearty soups. It’s easy to make a meal full of antioxidants, phytonutrients and other immunity boosters — and make it delicious to boot. Try our Roasted Garlic and Vegetable Soup with Pasta, and incorporate our seven healthy tips into each of your soup recipes.

1.Switch from white rice to brown rice to add more vitamin B6. Try whole wheat pasta instead of white.

2. Pump up iron by substituting cooked or canned beans (especially soybeans!) for half the pasta.

3. Add more vitamin E by sautéing aromatic vegetables in soybean, olive or canola oil before adding the broth.

4. For more vitamin A, choose sweet potatoes instead of white. Sweeten tomato soup with pureed carrots.

5. Build immunity with the natural chemical lentinan by including shiitake mushrooms along with other varieties in a mushroom soup.

6. Garnish soups with chopped fresh parsley or slivered roasted red bell peppers for extra vitamin C.

7. For a touch of cold-fighting spice, add finely chopped fresh ginger to bean, squash, or pumpkin soup.

Roasted Garlic and Vegetable Soup with Pasta

1 garlic bulb, separated and peeled
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 c. reduced-fat, reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 c. water
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 c. shredded escarole
1½ c. tiny broccoli florets
1 c. small elbow macaroni
salt (optional)
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1.Preheat the oven to 400°F. Allow garlic to sit for 15 min. Then wrap garlic in foil and place in a small casserole. Bake 45-50 min. or until soft when squeezed.

2. Warm oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onions and peppers; sauté five min. Add broth, water, carrots, tomato paste, basil, and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 min.

3. Remove 1 cup liquid. Mash garlic into the liquid. Stir into the pot. Add escarole and simmer seven min. Add broccoli, cover, and turn off the heat.

4. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and stir into the soup. If desired, season with salt and Parmesan. Yields about 9 cups.

Per serving: 142 cal., 2.9 g (18% of cal) Fat, 0.4 g Sat. Fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2.8 g fiber, 6.7 g Protein, 23.9 g Carb, 359 mg sodium.

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