Warm Up Your Winter with Hearty Soups

Dear Readers,
It’s winter and the weather is cold and dreary. This weather may cause us to naturally crave comfort foods that fill us up and keep us warm. While some comfort foods are high calorie and low nutrition, soup is a great comfort food that is healthy and lower in calories than you think. A hearty soup can also be a balanced meal packed with protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber and vitamins. Soups can be made ahead of time and frozen for quick meals after a long day. They are amazingly versatile—you can use leftovers from last night’s dinner or clean out the fridge. Feel free to experiment--you don’t even need a recipe! Serve soups with warm bread, salad or a ½ sandwich.

Tips for making a great soup!

• Start with a clear broth. Creamy soups are higher in fat and calories.
• Add a protein source like lean ham. Ham is a great choice because it is packed with flavor and low in fat.
• Add more flavor with onion, garlic and spices.
• Add a complex carbohydrate such as potatoes, rice, pasta or beans.
• Load your soup with vegetables—it is a great way to get vegetables into picky eaters. Use carrots, celery, peas, tomatoes, okra or green beans.

Here are some great soup recipes to try.

Split Pea Soup with Ham
3 quarts water
8 ounces lean ham, diced
1 lb. (16 oz package) dry split peas
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped

Rinse split peas in colander. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker or in a stockpot over low heat. Cook at least two hours. Serve!

Minestrone Soup
4-6 ounces pancetta, finely chopped (you can substitute lean ham)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 can white beans (Great Northern or Navy)
1 can whole peeled Italian tomatoes, drained
1 chopped celery stalk
1 carrot (sliced in coins)
1 tsp chicken bouillon (or soup base)
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
¼ tsp pepper
½ pound small pasta such as “ditalini”
3 tablespoons fresh basil or three tsp dried basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, sauté chopped pancetta and garlic in olive oil for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally. Add 6 cups cold water (1 1/2 quarts). Add beans, carrots and celery. Bring to a boil, simmer for 30 minutes and add pasta. When pasta is cooked, remove from the heat. Add basil, salt to taste, pepper and grated cheese.
Serve hot with crusty bread and extra grated cheese.

Pork and Cabbage Soup
1 lb. lean boneless pork, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 large can petite diced tomatoes
1 (10 1/2 oz.) can condensed beef broth
2 soup cans (2 2/3 c.) water

Soak beans overnight, wash, drain. Add all ingredients except tomatoes to stockpot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 minutes. (This recipe can also be made in a slow cooker. Be sure to wait until beans soften before adding tomatoes as the acid will prevent the beans from cooking)
Don’t forget to keep these recipes for Easter time too. Using ham in a soup recipe is a great way to use your leftover Easter Ham!
For more delicious recipes, log on to: www.theotherwhitemeat.org.

Yours in Good Health,

Cathie Ostrowski, MS, RD, LDN
North Carolina Pork Council Nutritionist