A bowl of soup can include many nutritious ingredients that provide vitamins and minerals. The ingredients you choose determine how much you spend on a pot of soup. There are many inexpensive ingredients you can put into a soup recipe that are healthy and will satisfy your hunger.
Bean with Bacon Soup
Beans are a very inexpensive ingredient to put into soups, remarks Linda Johnson Larsen, author of "Knack Soup Classics: Chowders, Gumbos, Bisques, Broths, Stocks and Other Delicious Soups." You can purchase a can of beans for around a dollar. Look for salt-free varieties to make your meal healthier. Choose center-cut bacon to reduce the recipe's saturated fat content. Start by cooking three or four strips of bacon until crisp. Drain the pot and add a teaspoon of canola or olive oil. Saute an onion, minced garlic, carrots and celery until soft. Add your favorite beans, such as navy or white, chopped potatoes and a bay leaf and simmer about an hour. This recipe serves eight and will cost about $1 per serving. It provides fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C.
Lentil Stew
Lentils are high in fiber and nutrients, and cost less than a dollar a pound. Lentil stew can include many kinds of nutrient-dense vegetables. Leona R. Alderson, author of "Healthy Food Choices: A Pure Vegetarian Recipe Book," suggests onions, carrots and potatoes as complementary ingredients for lentils. Start by cooking one cup of lentils in boiling water until tender. Add your choice of vegetables. Additional options include celery, peppers or squash. Minced garlic and seasonings, such as cardamom, thyme or cumin, will add flavor to your stew. Cook the stew until the vegetables are tender and adjust your seasonings as needed, recommends Alderson. This recipe serves six and costs around $1 a serving.
Split Pea and Ham Soup
Peas and ham are two inexpensive ingredients that also provide vitamins and protein. Larsen suggests this soup as one way to fill yourself up for very little money. Fill a pot with a pound of split peas, onions and garlic. Add a ham bone with some meat left on it, carrots, celery, potatoes, chicken broth and water. Simmer eight or nine hours until the split peas are tender. Other vegetables, such as squash or peppers, can enhance the flavor of the soup as well as add additional nutrients. This recipe serves six and provides fiber, protein and vitamin A. It costs around $1 per serving.
References
- "Knack Soup Classics: Chowders, Gumbos, Bisques, Broths, Stocks, and Other Delicious Soups"; Linda Johnson Larsen; 2010
- "Healthy Food Choices: A Pure Vegetarian Recipe Book"; Leona R. Alderson; 2000
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