Nutritious, warm, and creamy, soups are chock full of nutrient-dense vegetables, lentils, legumes, and other fiber-filled components that are amalgamated together to deliver appealing textures and delectable flavours. Be it for lunch, dinner or as a starter, vegetable soups have always garnered accolades of compliment not only for their low-calorie count, and filling nature but also for their immense health benefits for reducing weight and enhancing overall health. Also Read: Easy, Healthy Soup Recipes To Boost Your Immunity
The word ‘soup’ may have come up over the years, but stews using vegetables or pulses have been fabricated since the ancient times by various civilizations. And with changing times, these soups or stews come up in different varieties by mixing and matching a wide variety of ingredients. Apart from being part of a meal, soups are even considered as a type of diet that effectively help in boosting the body with healthful nutrients and also aid in absolute weight loss.
Mother Nature has blessed us with a bounty supply of fresh vegetables to choose from to make that very particular soup recipe that meets your taste. Here’s a delectable vegetable soup recipe that you can try at home:
Quinoa-Mixed Veg Soup
Ingredients:
¼ cup finely chopped carrots
½ cup grated cabbage
¼ cup peas
¼ cup sweetcorn
¼ cup corn kernels
¼ cup beans
1 tbsp corn flour
¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves
3 cups water
Spices:
½ tbsp garlic minced
½ tbsp ginger chopped
½ tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
¼ tsp black pepper powder
½ tsp red chilli flakes or paprika
½ tsp oregano powder
Method:
Wash the vegetables properly and chop them into fine pieces.
Add oil in a frying pan.
Add the ginger, garlic and spring onions to it and saute them for a minute.
Add all the veggies and saute them for 2-3 minutes on a high flame.
Add water to the sauteed vegetables and cover the pan with a lid to cook the veggies.
Add the corn kernels and quinoa to the slightly boiled veggies.
Now stir the corn starch separately in water in a small bowl.
Once the vegetable starts boiling in water, pour the corn starch in it.
Keep stirring the broth until it thickens.
Now add salt, sugar and pepper powder to it.
Add the apple cider vinegar and chilli flakes to the soup.
Bring the soup to boil and them switch off the stove.
Garnish the warm soup with some coriander leaves and serve it hot with bread sticks or toasts.
Tips:
- You can add any vegetable of your choice and make this mixed veg stew in your own unique way.
- Apart from corn starch, you can also add oats powder, barley powder, arrow root powder or even boil an entire potato to thicken the soup according to your need.
- You can add additional flavour by adding cinnamon sticks, bay leaf or cardamom and other spices to tantalize your taste buds.
Nutrition per serving
Calories – 80 kcal
Protein - 2 g
Carbohydrates – 13 g
Fat (<1 g sat) - 3 g
Sugar – 5 g
Fiber- 2 g
Vitamin A – 2250 IU
Vitamin C – 15 mg
Sodium – 220 mg
Potassium – 175 mg
Calcium – 28 mg
Iron – 0.5 mg
Nutritional Benefits Of Veg Soup:
Aids In Weight Loss
Soups are an imperative dietary choice for the one who is aiming towards a goal of weight loss. Being low on fats and calories, they not only fulfill the sudden hunger pangs but also prevents one from overeating. You can also mix and match the ingredients to make a detox soup recipe that washes away harmful toxins from the stomach and helps to give you that lean and toned physique. Also Read: Healthy Soups To Aid Digestion, Weight Loss
Promotes Digestion
The abundance of healthy fibers in the vegetables help in optimizing the intestinal bowel movement, facilitates proper absorption of nutrients and eases digestions. A normal veggie soup if eaten before a meal also helps in digesting the food eaten afterwards. Regular intake of soups made of vegetables prevents flatulence, constipation and other gastrointestinal troubles.
Rich Source of Fluids
Vegetable soups having a lot of water in it nourishes the body cells and keeps the skin fresh. The presence of carbohydrates, proteins, fats as well as vitamins and minerals supply the much-needed energy to the body to carry out other activities.
Powerhouse Of Antioxidants
Vegetables used in the veg soup are high on antioxidants. These bio active components actively work to shield the body from oxidative free radical damage and thus preventing the body from the various signs of ageing like wrinkles, fine lines, spots, dark circles, blemishes etc. By avoiding early signs of ageing, regular consumption improves the quality of skin and bestows a glowing and rejuvenated complexion.
Strengthens Bones
Presence of vitamin D and calcium in vegetables fortifies the bones and strengthens the skeletal structure of the body. Including a veggie soup into your regular dietary regimen, prevents osteoporosis in adults and helps in bone development and growth in children.
Preserves Nutrition Of Veggies
Be it the broth or the vegetables itself, soups are prepared in such a way that the nutrition of the ingredients being used remains intact. Since the vegetables are slightly sauteed and not overcooked, the nutritional content of the vegetables remains dissolved in the broth and hence nourishes and supplements the body.
Promotes Cardiac Functioning
Vegetables being less in calories and unsaturated fats are healthy for the heart. Having it regularly prevents accumulation of debris or bad cholesterol within the arteries, which in turn prevents atherosclerosis, heart attacks, heart blocks etc. and maintains a healthy blood circulation.
Conclusion
Call it vegetable soup or stew, these flavourful broths loaded with a wealth of healthful nutrients, are extremely beneficial for overall health and wellness. Not only does it aid in weight loss and eases digestion but also prevents gastric anomalies, strengthens bones and promotes heart functioning. So, what are you waiting for, select a few vegetables of your choice, add some spices for seasoning and fabricate your very own vegetable soup recipe and amaze your guests.
