Delicious Winter Soups to Keep You Warm

Soups and broths are the basis of the so-called kitchen funds and they are obtained when we boil different ingredients in a large amount of water. They are a winter dish although they also have their cold version for summer.

• It can be a light and comforting dish in which we should not abuse the salt.
• Benefits: low energy, rich in minerals and some in fiber.
• Ideal for: teething problems, overweight or obesity, and introduction of vegetables.

Great variety of winter soups

The range of types of soups is as wide as the different combinations of foods, spices and aromatic herbs that we can imagine.

The base broths can be made from vegetables, poultry, meat, fish, a mixture of vegetables, poultry and meat, etc. In addition, to the base broth we can add different types of pasta, bread, aromatic herbs (thyme, vegetables in mirepiox ...) or rice. In short, the variety of soups is endless.

Satiating but not very energetic

Soups have water as the main ingredient, a fact that makes it a satisfying and hydrating food, since it quickly fills our stomachs and, in turn, a light dish as it provides few calories. The calorie content of a soup is highly variable, just like its ingredients, but it usually ranges between 35 and 65 kilocalories per 100 grams. The ingredients that usually increase the caloric content of soups are usually fatty meats or directly the fats that we can add. Adding pasta or bread to soup also increases calories, while vegetables and aromatic herbs contribute little or nothing to increasing the energy provided by the dish. On the other hand, the vegetables that we can add also increase the feeling of satiety that the dish produces.

Rich in minerals

Popular belief attributes important nutritional and even healing properties to soups. The truth is that soup can be an interesting dish in various cases but we cannot say that it is a particularly nutritious dish since the largest component is water and the amount we take from the food with which it is made is small. It is true that soups are prepared with a wide variety of vegetables, meats or fish, but not all the nutrients in these foods pass into the water, nor are all the nutrients that pass into the water going to be usable for our body. The heat can deteriorate some, for example the water-soluble vitamins will pass into the water but most of them are thermolabile, that is, they lose their functionality with high temperatures. What is going to pass into the water and we will be able to take advantage of are the minerals in the different pieces of meat, fish or vegetables that we introduce into the soup.

On the other hand, we must try do not add too much salt since we know that an excess contributes to increasing the risk of suffering and related cardiovascular problems. It is preferable to choose to season soups with spices and / or aromatic herbs as well as tasty and good quality ingredients.

How to take them

Deep plate or bowl, spoon in hand, very warm and ... let's get to work!

It is a fantastic restorative for a cold winter night after a long and exhausting day. In this case we will prefer that it is very hot and for it to be more nutritious we can accompany it with vegetables and a little pasta or rice.

In summer, on the other hand, we can opt for cold vegetable soups although creams are a better option to present cold.

The secret of a good broth

To make a good broth it is necessary to introduce all the food cold. If we add the food when the water is already hot, when it comes into contact with the water, a kind of crust will form on the food that will function as a barrier and prevent part of the flavor and aroma from passing into the water.

Who is suitable and who is not?

Soups and broths are products that can be good for anyone in general, but, as always, there are certain cases in which they are especially interesting and others for which they are not so suitable.

They agree to:

People with teething problems: as it is a liquid food, it is perfect for people with teething problems as they require little chewing work and are easily swallowed, making them equally easy to digest.

Tips for buying and storing winter soups

Today we can buy soups from about qthat in a few minutes they are ready. There is also another healthier option that consists of acquiring ready-made soups preserved in tetrabrick. In this case, we must check that the containers are in good condition and check the expiration date or preferred consumption. Both powdered soups and brick soups are not very perishable products, especially those in sachets, which when dehydrated can be kept for a long time without losing their properties or safety.

Another different subject is the homemade soups, that having a large amount of water, many microorganisms can multiply. For this reason, we must keep them below 4ºC for a maximum of three days (if we freeze them, it is not advisable to keep them for more than three months).

REMEMBER THAT

One option to make a good soup is to use aromatic herbs, spices and vegetables in mirepoix to dress the broths and not overuse the salt. This way we will get a tasty and healthy dish.

The Recipe: Vegetable Soup with Pasta

Ingredients for four people)

- Noodles (100 g). - Zucchini (1/2 unit). - Carrot (2 units). - Leek (1 unit). - Pumpkin (150 g). - Broccoli (100 g). - Cauliflower (100 g). - Celery (1 sprig). - Potato (1 unit). - Chicken carcass (1 large unit). - Water. - Extra virgin olive oil. - Salt. - Parsley.

Preparation

Brown the chicken carcasses in a deep pot with a drizzle of oil. Then add plenty of water and a little salt. Cook for 20 minutes. Skim, strain and reserve the broth. Finely chop the zucchini, carrots, leeks, squash, broccoli and cauliflower sprigs, and celery. Sauté the vegetables in a low saucepan with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt. Peel the potatoes and add them. Add the broth and cook for about five minutes, add the noodles and boil for 5-10 minutes depending on their thickness.

• Colds and sore throats: in addition to the pleasant sensation of having something warm when you have a cold, on many occasions we suffer from throat irritation. For this there is nothing better than liquid foods such as soup, cream or puree. However, you have to be careful with the temperature: a hot soup can alleviate the pain but a very hot soup can irritate the throat even more.
• Overweight or obese: they are water-based preparations so they provide few calories. In this sense, they are a good option for people who must control their weight and can constitute a perfect light dinner if we accompany it, for example, with grilled fish and yogurt.
• Children and people with little appetite for vegetables: it is a good way to introduce vegetables to people who, at first, reject them. In this preparation, they are generally first introduced in large pieces to make the broth and give it flavor and then in mirepoix (small pieces) to dress the soup. In this way, they are usually better accepted and help to accustom the palate to their flavors.
• Retention of liquids: the contribution of water that it provides us will favor the elimination of liquids, avoiding their retention.

It is not suitable for:

• Inappetent undernourished people: being a very satiating and light food, it will not be suitable for people with little appetite and in whom we must take advantage of that little appetite to provide a large amount of nutrients. In this case it is better to opt for more consistent dishes or creams or purees.
• Hypertension or diets with sodium restriction: although soups do not have to be very salty or cause any problem in people with hypertension, sometimes soups are prepared with an excess of salt that should be avoided in people with hypertension.