Quick and Easy Soup Ideas

In the winter I think it is nice to have something warm at mealtime.  One of the easiest ways I know to is to include a bowl of soup.  It can be a first course, before a featured entree.... or it can be eaten as a side with a sandwich or a salad, perhaps.  Soup also makes a great snack!

But we don't always want to spend a lot of our daily calorie allotment, or P+ values on a bowl of soup so here are a few ideas that I have come up with, for us to have our soup and hang onto our P+ for more hearty fare.

These soups are quick and easy and also nutritious as they help boost our vegetable count for the day.

Beef Broth and Bok Choy

Zero P+

For 2 servings:

• 1 beef bullion cube
• 2 cups water
• 2 large leaves bok choy

1. Slice the bok choy into pieces about 1/2 inch wide.
2. Boil the water in a medium saucepan and reduce heat till it is simmering.
3. Add the thick white ends of the bok choy and the bullion cube to the water, and stir till the cube is dispersed.
4. Add the leafy pieces of bok choy and let cook about 2 more minutes.
5. Remove from heat and ladle into 2 bowls.

You could drizzle in a couple of Tbs of egg white while the broth is steaming to add some protein to this soup, and increase the P+ value to 1.

Sweet Potato and Chicken Broth

 1 P+ 

For 1 serving:

• 1 cup cooked sweet potato
• 1/4 chicken bullion cube
• 1/3 cup water 

1. Use leftover cooked sweet potato or cook small potato in microwave oven and peel when cool enough to handle.
2. Heat water and bullion cube together in a small sauce pan till cube dissolves.
3. Add sweet potato and heat through.
4. Remove from heat and whizz with immersion blender or mix with potato masher.
5. Pour into serving bowl and add a dollop of fat free yogurt or sour cream and a dash of cinnamon if you like.

This idea works with all kinds of vegetables... squash, carrots, potatoes zucchini... a great way to use up leftovers and get in some extra veggies. 

Would love to see your ideas for quick and easy and low P+ soups.