Soup

Before checking out today's recipes, I wanted to post a short blurb from Diabetes Self-Management, which sends out tips on living healthy with diabetes.

The short article asks, "What are some easy ways to lower the sodium in my diet?". It states that sarting by tasting the food before salting it, and keeping the salt shaker off the table are ways to help lower the sodium in our food. It then gives a link on further lowering your salt intake. Definitely worth checking out!

And now, on to the recipes.

Is there anything more comforting that a bowl of homemade soup? Maybe not. And while many of us think of soup as a cold weather meal, it's great for any time of year.

Here are six soup recipes to help you through the day, including Old-Fashioned Tomato Soup and Veggie Patch Soup. Enjoy!

SPINACH AND ONION SOUP

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 servings

Source: Great Healthy Food - Diabetes

Book Title: Great Healthy Food - Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/spinach-and-onion-soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

3-3/4 cups vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

2/3 cup white wine

6 cups leaf spinach

Directions

Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onions for about 5-8 minutes over low heat, until they have softened.

Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and the seasonings. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Pour in the wine and add the spinach. Continue to cook, but only until the spinach has wilted slightly.

Remove the bay leaf and serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Fat: 6 g; Fiber: 3 g; Sodium: 1011 mg; Protein: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 1 Fat

FRENCH COUNTRY BEAN SOUP

Recipe Yield: Makes 8 servings (with chicken)

Source: AICR

View online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/french-country-bean-soup

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 carrot, cut in half-moons

1 rib celery, sliced

1 small onion, chopped in bite-size pieces

1 small leek, chopped in bite-size pieces

3 outer leaves Savoy cabbage, rolled and cut in 1/2" strips

4 cups fat-free, reduced sodium chicken broth

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 cups squash (e.g. butternut), peeled and diced

1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas or white beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup cooked chicken cut in bite-size pieces(optional)

Directions

Heat oil in medium Dutch oven or large, deep saucepan. Saute carrot, celery, onion, leek, and cabbage until leaves are bright green and other vegetables start to soften, about 3 minutes. Add broth. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add thyme, garlic, squash and beans. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in chicken, if using. Ladle soup into deep bowls and serve accompanied by toasted slices of whole-grain French bread or other rustic bread. (This soup reheats well. It keeps up to 5 days, covered, in refrigerator.)

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 123; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 464 mg; Protein: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 19 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch, 1 Lean-Meat, 1 Vegetable

OLD-FASHIONED TOMATO SOUP

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/old-fashioned-tomato-soup.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. butter

1 onion, finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 can (28-oz.) diced tomatoes

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/8 tsp. ground mace

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbsp. snipped dill, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Melt the butter in a small Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute the onion until translucent, 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until the onions are golden, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the tomatoes with their juices, the sugar, thyme, mace and cayenne. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer the soup until the tomatoes and onion are soft, about 15 minutes.

Let the soup sit 20 minutes, uncovered. Transfer it to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and reduce the mixture to a puree, either pulpy or completely smooth, as desired. Blend in the half-and-half. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve the soup hot, sprinkling one-fourth of the dill over each bowl, if using.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 105; Fat: 3 g; Fiber: 0.5 g; Sodium: 586 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Reduced-Fat Milk, 1 Vegetable

MINESTRONE SOUP

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 servings (about 1 cup each)

Source: Cooking with The Diabetic Chef

Book Title: Cooking with The Diabetic Chef

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/minestrone-soup

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

1/4 medium carrot, finely diced

1/4 stalk celery, finely diced

2/3 teaspoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons leeks, finely diced

3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) canned tomatoes, chopped

1/2 medium zucchini, diced

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme

3/4 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced

3 cups chicken stock

3 ounces (about 1/2 cup) frozen spinach, chopped

3/4 cup white beans, cooked

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic and leek and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato, zucchini, thyme, oregano, and chicken stock. Bring the liquid to a simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the spinach and white beans. Return the liquid to a simmer for 20 minutes. Season with the salt and white pepper. Serve immediately and garnish with the Parmesan cheese.

Notes:

Additional info: Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 3 g

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 110; Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 283 mg; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Protein: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1/2 Lean Meat, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

VEGGIE PATCH SOUP

Recipe Yield: Yield: 10 servings

Source: Mr. Food Every Day's a Holiday Diabetic Cookbook

Book Title: Mr. Food Every Day's a Holiday Diabetic Cookbook

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/veggie-patch-soup

Ingredients

6 cups water

2 medium-sized white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

4 large tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks

4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

3 medium-sized zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 medium-sized green bell peppers, coarsely chopped

2 medium-sized onions, coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

In a soup pot, combine all the ingredients; mix well and bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 1 hour, or until the vegetables are tender.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 84; Fiber: 4 g; Sodium: 383 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 20 g; Sugars: 7 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 2 Vegetable

VEGETABLE AND BEAN SOUP

Recipe Yield: Yield: 6 servings

Source: The Everyday Low-Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook

Book Title: The Everyday Low-Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/vegetable-and-bean-soup.

Ingredients

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 (14.5) cans chicken broth

1 cube vegetable bouillon

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 (15.5 ounce) can kidney beans, drained

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 summer squashes (zucchini or yellow squash, about 1 pound total), quartered lengthwise and chopped

1 (7 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (about 4 shakes) (optional)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker crock and mix well.

Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.

Stir well before serving.

If desired, stir in Tabasco sauce before serving.

Notes:

Easy substitution: To make this soup completely vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth, and additional olive oil for the butter.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 210; Fat: 9 g; Sodium: 1020 mg; Cholesterol: 14 mg; Protein: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Lean Meat, 2 Fat, 2 Vegetable