Satisfying winter soups

by | Nov 6, 2021 | Nutrition

I love having soup when it’s cold outside.

It’s winter’s version of a smoothie!  Although I suppose technically it’s the other way around and a smoothie is summer’s soup.  In any case….
Soups have cooked food so they are easily digested, they have a high water content so are great for hydration and each spoonful is nutrient-dense.
It’s also a perfect batch-cooking meal which is so important as it can be harder to stay on track with healthy eating in the colder months when a quick, crisp salad is not what you want.
Here are 3 easy, tasty and warming soup recipes:

Curried Cauliflower Soup

Serves 4
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large  head cauliflower, chopped
1l vegetable broth
1 tablespoon curry powder
350g frozen peas and carrots
Melt coconut oil in a large soup pan over medium heat.  Add chopped onion and garlic.  Sauté for about 5 mins until fragrant.  Add chopped cauliflower, vegetable broth and curry powder.  Simmer for about 20 minutes until the cauliflower is tender.
Transfer to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.  Pour back into the pan and add the frozen peas and carrots.  Mix well and warm until the peas and carrots are cooked.  Serve warm.

Carrot Ginger Miso Soup

500g chopped carrots
1 large onion,chopped
6 garlic gloves
1 tablespoon coconut oil
3cm piece fresh ginger, chopped
2 cups water OR vegetable broth
2 tablespoons white miso
Preheat oven to 200°C. Put carrots, onion and garlic cloves on a baking sheet and massage with coconut oil.  Bake for approx. 20 – 25 mins, until the carrots are tender.
Put the roasted vegetables and ginger in a large soup pan and cover with vegetable broth or water.  Bring the pan to a boil.  Then blend using an immersion blender or transfer to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.  Finally, mix in the miso, serve and enjoy!

Veggie Lentil Soup

2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 large onion,chopped into small dices
2 large carrots, chopped into small dices
1 small sweet potato, chopped into small dices
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 cup dried lentils or 1 400g tin cooked lentils
1 l water OR vegetable broth
Salt & pepper, to taste
Melt coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add onion, carrots, sweet potato and garlic.  Sauté for approx 5  minutes. Add lentils and vegetable broth and cook according to instructions on lentil package. If you are using tinned lentils, add them after the vegetables have been cooking for 30 minutes, stir and simmer until warmed through. Serve and enjoy!
Make extra when you are cooking them so you have a weekday lunch ready to go or freeze it for a quick dinner later on.
The great thing with plant-based eating is that you can always adapt the recipes according to what you have to hand.  Change the pulses around – have beans instead of lentils.  No-one in your family likes sweet potatoes?  Then change for squash or another vegetable of your choice.  This way of cooking is very simple and flexible.
I hope you enjoy these recipes,
Lindsay Guest

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