Soup for your soul
Soup is like a bowl of belly-warming love, says Ellie Krieger, registered dietitian and author of "Comfort Food Fix." Soup, she adds, has the power to both soothe and satisfy. It a1so may help you lose a few pounds. If you're trying to lose weight as part of your "get healthier" New Year's Resolution, try adding a bowl of soup before a meal. A bowl of chicken noodle soup is just what the doctor ordered when you're sick, a bowl of chilli can warm you up when it's cold and nearly any kind of soup will fill you up. In a University of Texas study, women who ate either a casserole with a glass of water or soup made from both the casserole and water stated they were less hungry after eating the soup. It's the same principle as downing a glass of water before eating. People who downed two cups of water before meals lost more weight than those who didn't in a 20lO study. Participants also ate 80 percent fewer calories at a later meal when they opted for the soup. Texas reseachers found that when calories were held equa1, fat trumped protein as the "less fattening" soup component, because dieters ate less later on. The study involved 12 lean and 12 obese subjects who were senved two different kinds of soup on different occasions. All the soup servings had 160 calories --- but one (chicken broth and veggies) had sigificant fat, while the other (egg drop soup) had mostly protein. Afterwards, all volunteers were given access to an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet. The higher protein soup group ended up consum1ng 20 percent more calories than the higher-fat soup group While that was a small study, the bottom line is that soup can satisfy, especially if you add a bit of protein.Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian from Sprinfield, lll. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com.
BROCCOLI-CHEDDAR SOUP.
Here's Ellie Krieger's made-over broccoli-cheddar soup from her cookbook, "Comfort Food Fix." Her lightened version has 320 calories per serving, compared to the traditional 700 caIories.
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Method:Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucant, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and cook for 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and chicken broth, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medîum low and cook until the broccolǐ is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile in a small saucepan, whisk together the milk and flour untîl the flour dissolves. Heat the mîxture over medium-high. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirrîng occasionally, until the mixture has thickened, about 3 minutes. Add 1 cup of the cheese and cook, stirring, until melted, 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. Working with 1 cup at a time, puree the broccoli mixture in a blender until it is mostly smooth but has some chunks, then transfer to another pot. Stir the cheese mixture into the broccolî puree, season with salt and pepper and cook over medîum-low heat until warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes more. Serve garnished with remaining cheese. Serves 4; serving size: 1 1/2 cups. |