Everything Soup
This recipe is perfect for weight loss goals, and naturally helps you maintain a healthy body weight. See next paragraph for details. ; )
Chock full of vegetables, rich in protein, it also has no added fats or oils, gives you a good serving of healthy fiber, plus resistant starch for a happy digestive system and balanced blood sugar. This soup is everything you need in one brothy bowl...
This soup recipe is a must for cold and flu season, and great for weight loss.
Everyone should have this one in their recipe collection. Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s easy to throw together, even when you’re a little under the weather.
The basic recipe is very versatile. You can make it plant based, or use beef, chicken or turkey. Make a double batch and freeze some for easy meal prep.
For plant based proteins in this recipe I’d recommend either crumbled seitan or my easy "chewy crumbled tofu" (this gives it a yummy, hearty texture - instructions below).
I think some would call this a version of hamburger soup or cabbage soup. Remember the weight loss cabbage soup craze of years past? There is validity to the cabbage soup weight loss idea, in that you’re eating a big bowl of vegetables, which is a low calorie option. I prefer this recipe, which is still a great soup for “a diet”, or if you’re aiming to lose fat for a healthier body composition. Why is this version better? Because you’re including protein and more complex carbs per serving, so you’re not starving again 30 minutes later!
Also, because you’re going to refrigerate your leftovers, you’ll be giving the whole grains a chance to develop more resistant starch, which is the type of starch that resists digestion and helps feed the friendly bacteria in your digestive system. If you want eat grain free, you can use potatoes instead, which will also provide resistant starch, I’ve added this option to the recipe below. Resistant starch is being studied for its potential to improve insulin sensitivity, lower blood sugar, and help reduce appetite..
All that said, the best thing about this recipe is that it’s a homey, hearty and comforting soup. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s just so good.
Everything Soup
4-6 bowls, 8-12 cups (depending on the size of the bowl/cup)
Ingredients:
1 cup quick cooking barley (sub farro, quinoa, brown rice)
1 lb very lean ground beef, chicken or turkey OR 1 package extra firm tofu prepared as described below, or 1-2 pockages plain seitan, finely chopped or buzzed in a food processor for a crumbly texture
1 medium onion - diced
2 stalks celery with their leaves - diced
1 large or 2 smaller carrots - diced
1 small head cabbage or 1/2 large head - chopped
1 box Pomi chopped tomatoes
4 cups beef bone broth (or vegetable broth + 1 tablespoon Braggs liquid aminos)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried granulated garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons dried granulated onion
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
salt & pepper to taste
hot sauce to taste
Instructions:
Start by cooking your grain of choice, according to package directions.
My favorite grain for this soup is quick cooking barley. It's pearled barley that's been pressed and flattened, similar to rolled oats, ready in 10 minutes! While not technically a whole grain, it's still rich in fiber, and so satisfying.
While grain is cooking, make the soup.
If you’re using ground beef, chicken or turkey you’ll start by cooking that in a large soup pot over medium heat until it’s getting crumbly. No oil or fat in the pan, simply add the meat to the dry pan and cook it until it's getting crumbly and releasing moisture.
If you're using crumbled seitan or tofu, add it to the pot along with everything else.
Now, add your chopped vegetables, tomatoes, broth, dried onion and garlic, dried oregano and basil, and just enough water to cover it all.
Bring to a boil, cover the pot, reduce heat to low and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, until everything is tender.
Season to taste with salt & pepper, simmer for a couple more minutes.
To serve: Ladle a good portion of soup into a big soup bowl, add a about 1/4 cup of your cooked whole grain, and dig in.
I love it with a good dash of hot sauce stirred in.
To make hearty, chewy crumbled tofu:
Drain one block extra firm tofu and crumble it with your fingers. Arrange tofu in a thin layer and place in freezer until frozen solid (or freeze overnight). Thaw tofu and squeeze out excess water, it's now ready to add to your recipe.
Store leftovers in a glass container in the fridge. For the best leftovers - keep the cooked grains separate from the soup and combine the two when you reheat to serve.
Make this recipe grain-free and still enjoy the benefits of resistant starch.
Simply substitute 4 cups diced potatoes for the grains. Add the potatoes along with the rest of the vegetables in the recipe. Potatoes, when cooked and refrigerated, also develop resistant starch.
Make a double batch and freeze some for easy meal prep.
I don’t recommend potatoes if you’re freezing the soup. Their texture changes, not my fave. You can make a double batch of grain, and keep it frozen separately.