5 EASY SOUP RECIPES TO WARM YOUR SOUL

Ingredients:

3 cups of chicken stock (packet or canned)

2 tablespoons of light soy sauce

100 grams of fresh oyster mushrooms

3 stalks of spring onions, trim and slice

1 red chilli, sliced

Shredded spring onions

100 grams of dry shitake mushroom

2-cm sliced ginger

1 carrot, cut into strips

250g silken tofu, drain and cube.

Steps:

1. Soak the dry shitake mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes before removing the stalks. Slice the mushrooms.

2. In a saucepan, bring the chicken stock together with the shitake mushrooms, soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat and cook gently for 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Add the oyster mushrooms, carrot and spring onion to the soup and let it simmer for another 2 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and slide in the tofu cubes.

4. Garnish your soup with the sliced chilli and shredded spring onions for the extra flavour.

Creamy Cauliflower and Corn Soup

If you are craving for something creamy and warm when the temperature drops, this soup will hit the spot! Apart from being low in calories, cauliflower is also high in vitamins and contains nutrients such as fiber and Vitamin C. Corn which adds a sweet touch to the soup, also contains a fair share of fiber and is a decent source of protein.

Ingredients:

1 cauliflower, cut into large florets

¼ cup of Parmesan cheese, grated

2 rashers rindless bacon, chopped, and 1 extra, chopped

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 leek, thinly sliced

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon of thyme leaves

1 potato, peeled and cut into 1-cm cubes

2 cups of chicken stock

2 cups of milk

1 cup of frozen corn kernels

Chopped parsley

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C and proceed to line an oven tray with baking paper.

2. After cutting ¼ of the cauliflower into 0.5cm slices, arrange them in a single layer on the tray and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the cauliflowers.

3. Add the bacon to the tray separately. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cauliflower is golden and till the bacon is crispy.

4. Meanwhile, drizzle some oil over a large saucepan and heat it before frying the leek and extra bacon for 3 to 4 minutes, till the leek softens. Then, cook for 1 minute after stirring in the garlic and thyme.

5. Add the remaining cauliflower, potato, chicken stock and milk to the saucepan and bring to simmer. Cook the broth for 15 to 20 minutes till the vegetables are tender.

6. With a handheld stick blender, puree the soup until smooth and add in the corn before simmering for another 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Top your soup with the baked cauliflowers, bacon and chopped parsley.

Cheesy Spinach Soup

After a long day, spend no more than 15 minutes of your time and you will be able to enjoy this cheesy spinach soup! Being a good source of nutrients such as beta carotene and zeaxanthin, spinach helps in improving our eyesight and strengthens our immune system. On top of that, the vegetable also contains dietary fibre which is essential for our bowel health.

Ingredients:

4 cups of chicken stock

255 grams of frozen spinach, chopped

1 ½ teaspoons of onion powder

3 cups of evaporated milk

5 tablespoons of flour

453 grams of cubed Velveeta or shredded American cheese

Steps:

1. In a large pot, combine the chicken stock, chopped spinach and onion power, then bring it to a boil.

2. In another bowl, mix the milk and flour together until the mixture is smooth and has no lumps.

3. Add the mixture to the soup when it is coming to a boil and stir well to combine.

4. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for another 2 minutes before adding the cheese.

5. After adding the cheese, stir until all the cheese has melted and the soup is ready to be served!

Chicken Soup For The Soul

With one pot and a few ingredients, you will be able to enjoy a bowl of soul-soothing soup bursting with flavours. Healthline stated that by consuming an adequate amount of protein after a workout, your body will receive the amino acids it needs to repair and rebuild these proteins. Foods such as chicken, can also give your body the building blocks required to build new muscle tissues.

Ingredients:

10 cups of chicken stock

4 cups of shredded chicken meat

4 medium carrots, cut into ¼-inch rounds

3 medium celery stalks, cut into ¼-inch slices

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces

Coarse salt and ground pepper

Steps:

1. In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil over high heat and add the carrots, celery as well as the potatoes.

2. Reduce the heat and simmer for 14 to 16 minutes until the vegetables become tender.

3. Stir in the shredded chicken meat and season the soup with salt and pepper. Continue cooking the soup for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Comforting Salmon and Vegetables Stew

According to Men’s Health, higher intakes of the omega-3 fatty acids which can be found in fishes such as salmon, may translate into lower levels of delayed onset muscle soreness after resistance exercise. This savoury stew does not just lift your mood but also has great nutritional benefits!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of margarine

2 shallots, chop finely

1 clove garlic, chop finely

4 potatoes, peel and chop into 1-cm cubes

2 carrots, peel and chop into 1-cm cubes

4 medium-size yellow onions, slice

150 grams broccoli, cut into 3-cm florets

100 ml of water

59 ml of fish stock

200 ml of cream

1 teaspoon of cornstarch, mix with 1 tablespoon of water

½ teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon of pepper

600g of salmon fillets without skin and bones, cut into 3-cm pieces

1 sprig fresh parsley, chopped finely

Steps:

1. In a large pan, melt the margarine over medium heat before stir-frying the shallots and garlic until soft for 3 minutes.

2. Add the potato, carrot, onion and broccoli to the pan before pouring in the water and fish stock. Cook the soup over low heat for 10 minutes until the vegetables become tender.

3. Stir in the cream and corn-starch mix to thicken the soup, then bring it to a boil. Season the soup with salt and pepper.

4. Slide in the salmon pieces and leave it to soak the flavours of the soup for 5 minutes until they are completely cooked.

5. Sprinkle some parsley over the soup and serve it hot.

Sipping on a bowl of soup before a workout also helps to retain water in your body and prevents dehydration. But keep in mind to give your body at least an hour’s break before starting your workout so as to provide your body with sufficient time to digest.

Serve up these delicious soups and let us know which is your favourite by tagging us on Facebook and Instagram with hashtag #FitnessFirstSG!

REFERENCES:

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