It’s 2001 and with the New Year comes resolutions. I am sure that most of you made resolutions that pertain to your health. Mine is to get abs like Britney Spears. Maybe you vowed to lose 10 pounds or to go to the gym at least four times a week. Many of these plans are a result of the holiday gorge fest in which most people gain an average of seven pounds. Perhaps you had too much pecan pie or just sat too long in front of the television watching football. Maybe you don’t know how you gained the weight, but you’re having trouble zipping that favorite pair of jeans. No matter, it is time to lose those extra inches.
Forget Slim- Fast, the Zone or Atkins. You need a well rounded diet that doesn’t make your stomach grumble every five minutes. Sure Mama T’s may satisfy your appetite, but there are other choices with lots of nutrients and less calories. Soup is one such food.
Not only are soups filling, but many have a lot of vegetables and other healthy ingredients. They are also easy to make and because of this have been a staple food for centuries. In the Middle Ages, soup was the basis for a monk’s diet because it was supposed to connect him to the poverty of the people. Those cooking techniques that did not use water or stock, such as roasting were so hearty that they were destined for use in wealthy kitchens.
Making soups was also a way of using leftovers and taking advantage of rich-meat cooking stocks. Now soups are eaten by all social classes, but they are still perfect for a cheap, easy to make meal. You can buy yourself a can for $.89, but I recommend making it. Not only can you add the ingredients you want, but homemade soups are fresher and tastier than those that have been sitting in cans for weeks. Also, most soups do not take long to make, approximately a half hour, and the ingredients are cheap. The vegetable soup below is extremely easy to make. As long as you know how to chop up vegetables, you shouldn’t have a problem.
Although I can’t offer any advice for your other resolutions, this should help you get back into your jeans.
Old Fashioned Vegetable Soup
Bring to a boil over high heat in soup pot:
3 cups Vegetable Stock
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 diced celery
1/2 cup diced potatoes
1/2 cup 1-inch greenbeans
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup baby peas
1/2 cup lima beans
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste or 1/2 cup chopped stewed or drained canned tomatoes
Reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes. Add salt and pepper for taste.
Archived article by Alexa Barron