Healthy Soup Ideas

Incorporate vegetables, whole grains and protein into a one-pot meal by cooking up a hearty soup. Canned and boxed soups, which can be high in sodium, have minimal amounts of vegetables and meat. Healthy soups can also help you manage your weight. A study in the journal "Appetite" published in November 2007 found that eating soup before a main entrée reduced total calorie intake by 20 percent. Making soup at home does not have to be labor intensive or time consuming.

Creamy Asparagus

Use vitamin- and mineral-rich asparagus to create a velvety soup that makes a tasty appetizer or main dish that can be served with a green salad and a crusty piece of whole-grain bread. Peel and chop a russet potato and boil until tender. Saute a finely chopped medium onion in a tablespoon of olive oil until soft. Add to that ½ tsp. dried tarragon and the drained, cooked potato. Add two pounds of chopped asparagus and 6 cups of low-sodium chicken broth. Simmer until the asparagus is tender, which is about 7 minutes. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Return the puree to the pot and heat through. One cup of this soup contains about 110 calories.

Quick Black Bean

Puree together a can of low-sodium black beans, 1 cup of low-sodium chicken broth, ½-cup red or green salsa, ¼-cup of cilantro leaves and a bit of ground cumin in a food processor or blender. Heat in a large saucepan until warmed through, which take about 5 minutes. Top with a tbsp. of low-fat sour cream. This recipe makes about four servings. Each serving has100 calories, 7g of protein and 7g of fiber. Serve this soup alongside quesadillas made with whole-wheat tortillas, low-fat cheese and diced, grilled chicken breast.

Chicken Soup with Orzo and Lemon

This soup, adapted from Pam Anderson's book, "The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight and Eating Great," is a complete meal. Saute a chopped, medium yellow onion in 2 tsp. of olive or canola oil until soft. Add 14.5 oz of no-salt-added diced tomatoes, 12 oz. of shredded, cooked chicken breast and a quart of chicken broth. When hot, add 1/3 cup orzo and 1 cup of diced zucchini. When the vegetables and orzo are cooked, put in 1-cup of frozen peas and a 9-oz. package of fresh baby spinach. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped dill and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Two cups of this soup contain about 310 calories.