The weather is getting colder and the days are getting shorter. If you are like us we love a good bowl of soup after a long day but store bought soups can be sodium heavy and filled with a lot of additives and sometimes unrecognizable ingredients.
We love these homemade soup recipes because we can control what goes in and as an added bonus, these are all crockpot recipes! So gather your ingredients the night before, add them to the crockpot in the morning and come home to a hot a ready meal that filled with nutrients and will make you feel all warm and cozy.
Wondering what to look for in a soup? Below are our tips for picking out the perfect recipe.
- Broth-based – every once in a while a cream based soup can be delicious, but for every day soups look for a broth base. These are lower in saturated fat and calories. Try replacing cream for low-sodium vegetable broth in your favorite soup.
- Lots of veggies – look for at least 3 of different colors
- A protein source – This doesn’t have to be animal protein – beans and legumes are great sources of plant based protein! Whether it be beef, chicken, beans or tofu, a protein source will help keep you full and satisfied.
- Low-salt – Soups are notorious for having high levels of sodium. When using canned ingredients look for a low-sodium version whenever possible. We also love these salt-free seasonings from Mrs. Dash.
- 1 ea yellow onion diced
- 2 ea carrots chopped
- 2 ea celery stalks chopped
- 3 ea cloves garlic
- 7-8 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 15oz cans low-sodium cannelloni beans drained
- 1 bag baby spinach large
- 2 tsp salt-free Italian seasoning
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Place all ingredients other than spinach in a 6 quart slow cooker and place on low for 6-8 hours. Right before ready to serve, add spinach and stir until spinach is wilted.
- 2 ea carrots chopped
- 1 ea parsnip chopped
- 1 cup butternut squash cubed
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 15oz can diced tomato
- 1 15oz can cannellini beans
- 1 bunch kale torn
- 1 cup water
- salt free seasoning to taste
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Combine all ingredients except for kale in a 6 quart slow cooker. Place on low for 6-8 hours. Add kale and allow to wilt prior to serving.
- 2 15 oz cans low-sodium diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 15 oz can red kidney beans
- 1 15 oz can cannellini beans
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup water
- 1 ea carrot diced
- 1 ea celery stalk diced
- 1 ea large white onion diced
- 5 ea garlic cloves minced
- 1 ea bay leaf
- 1 tbsp salt-free Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups ditalini pasta
- 2 cups spinach
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Add all ingredients other than pasta and spinach into slow cooker, cook on low for 6-8 hours. Change heat to high, add pasta and cook for additional 20 minutes, add spinach and stir until spinach wilts. Remove bay leaf prior to serving.
Written by: Michelle Switach – Dietetic Intern
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