w Souping made easy
Souping Made Easy Spoon up and slim down in just 4 weeks with this easy plan and recipes If you love the idea of downing light, supernutritious liquids, but juicing leaves you a little cold, you ll warm up fast to this cleansing plan! Souping nourishes your body with health-boosting nutrients and satisfies a craving for a little heft and heat something you can t get when you re sipping through a straw. In this 4-week cleanse, you ll kick off each week with a soup-only day: You ll ladle up a bowl six times that day, so you won t feel deprived; and with the flavorful mix of recipes, you won t be bored. The other 6 days, you ll simply swap out one of your usual meals for a satisfying bowl of soup. To make it even easier, we ve provided a calendar so you know what to spoon up when. Each of the 12 soup recipes that follow makes 4 servings exactly what you ll need for the week. Be sure to refrigerate the portions you ll eat during the first 3 days and freeze what you ll have later. (Use glass containers, leaving about an inch of empty space below the lid to allow for expansion.) BACK TO TOP 2
The 4-week plan sunday: Cleanse monday: Swap tuesday: swap wednesday: swap thursday: swap friday: swap saturday: swap WEEK 1 Have 6 mini meals (1 every 2 3 hours): Chilled Mint-Melon Soup meals 1 & 4 Swiss Chard Soup meals 2 & 5 Spicy Sweet Potato Soup meals 3 & 6 Chilled Mint- Melon Soup. #1: Superhydrating, thanks to watermelon, cantaloupe, and coconut water Swiss Chard Soup. Health bonus #1: Filled with folate, an essential B vitamin necessary for cell repair Spicy Sweet Potato Soup. #1: Packed with hearthealthy, skin-friendly beta-carotene, vitamin C, and potassium Chilled Mint- Melon Soup. #2: Easy on the stomach, thanks to nausea-nixing gingerroot Swiss Chard Soup. Health bonus #2: Fights cancer with antioxidants beta-carotene and vitamin E Spicy Sweet Potato Soup. #2: Satisfying mix of fiber and protein WEEK 2 Have 6 mini meals (1 every 2 3 hours): Cooling Cucumber- Yogurt Soup meals 1 & 4 Chickpea Energy Soup meals 2 and 5 Ready & Able Root Vegetable Soup meals 3 & 6 Cooling Cucumber- Yogurt Soup. #1: Promotes healthy digestion with loads of water and fiber Chickpea Energy Soup. #1: Immunityboosting mix of spices in garam masala Ready & Able Root Vegetable Soup. Health bonus #1: Savory source of antioxidants beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, and folate Cooling Cucumber- Yogurt Soup. #2: Smooth, soothing blend supplies healthy fat Chickpea Energy Soup. #2: Little legumes contain large amounts of protein and fiber Ready & Able Root Vegetable Soup. Health bonus #2: Tastes rich but low in fat, with just 3 g per serving WEEK 3 Have 6 mini meals (1 every 2 3 hours): Heart-Strong Spinach Soup meals 1 & 4 Super Tortilla Soup meals 2 & 5 Bad-to-the- Bone Soup meals 3 & 6 Heart-Strong Spinach Soup. #1: High in nutrients that prevent cholesterol buildup Super Tortilla Soup. Health bonus #1: Vegan friendly and rich in protein from black beans Bad-to-the- Bone Soup. #1: Subdues hankering for high-fat meat with earthy, flavorful mushrooms Heart-Strong Spinach Soup. #2: Contains bloodpressurelowering potassium and magnesium Super Tortilla Soup. Health bonus #2: Promotes eye health via bell pepper (lutein and zeaxanthin) and carrot (betacarotene) Bad-to-the- Bone Soup. #2: Helps suppress inflammation, thanks to the compound ergothioneine WEEK 4 Have 6 mini meals (1 every 2 3 hours): Sweets & Beets Soup meals 1 & 4 Gotta Glow Puree meals 2 and 5 Curried Carrot & Squash Soup meals 3 & 6 Sweets & Beets Soup. #1: Boosts energy levels and powers muscles Gotta Glow Puree. Health bonus #1: Features asparagus, which outshines all other veggies for folic acid Curried Carrot & Squash Soup. #1: Promotes good gut health with probiotics in kefir and yogurt Sweets & Beets Soup. #2: Naturally sweet but low on the glycemic index Gotta Glow Puree. Health bonus #2: Great greens combo provides super levels of vitamins A, C, and E Curried Carrot & Squash Soup. #2: Revs up metabolism with turmeric, known as the warming spice BACK TO TOP 3
chilled mint-melon soup Week 1 (meals 1 + 4), Monday, Thursday 6 c canned coconut water 3 c chopped watermelon 1. Place all in a blender and puree until desired consistency is reached. Chill and serve. 2 c chopped cantaloupe 1 c lemon juice 2" piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated 6 mint leaves, halved lengthwise 1 tsp agave nectar, or to taste Per serving: 146 calories 0 g fat 0 g saturated fat 37 g carbohydrates 31 g sugar 80 mg sodium 1 g fiber 3 g protein BACK TO TOP 4
Swiss chard soup Week 1 (meals 2 + 5), Tuesday, Friday 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 lb Swiss chard, center ribs and stems removed, leaves chopped 3 ½ c low-sodium vegetable broth 1 c chopped flat-leaf parsley ½ c chopped fresh cilantro ¼ c fresh mint leaves 1 tsp ground nutmeg 1. Warm oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent. Stir in chard, broth, parsley, cilantro, mint, and nutmeg. 2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until chard is tender. 3. Stir in lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. 4. Let soup cool slightly. Working in batches, place soup in a blender and puree until smooth. 5. Pour back into pan and heat before serving with a dollop of yogurt. 1 Tbsp lemon juice Salt and black pepper 2% plain Greek yogurt, for serving Per serving: 124 calories 7 g fat 1 g saturated fat 12 g carbohydrates 4 g sugar 450 mg sodium 4 g fiber 3 g protein BACK TO TOP 5
Spicy Sweet Potato Soup Week 1 (meals 3 + 6), Wednesday, Saturday 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped ½ tsp ground cardamom ¼ tsp ground turmeric ¼ tsp ground cinnamon Salt and black pepper 2 cups water 1 can (14 oz) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth 1. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Add cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes. 2. Add water and broth, then add sweet potatoes and carrots. 3. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Working in small batches, place soup in a blender and puree until smooth. Serve warm. 2 lg sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped 3 carrots, chopped Per serving: 163 calories 8 g fat 1 g saturated fat 22 g carbohydrates 6 g sugar 175 mg sodium 4 g fiber 4 g protein BACK TO TOP 6
COOLING CUCUMBER-yogurt soup Week 2 (meals 1 + 4), Monday, Thursday 2 lg seedless cucumbers, chopped 1 avocado ½ c 2% plain Greek yogurt 1. In a blender, combine cucumbers, avocado, yogurt, kefir, grapes, scallions, onion, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until desired consistency is reached. Chill in refrigerator for at least an hour. Serve cold. ½ c unsweetened plain kefir ½ c red seedless grapes 3 scallions, coarsely chopped ¼ c chopped red onion Juice of 1 lemon Salt and black pepper Per serving: 138 calories 7 g fat 2 g saturated fat 15 g carbohydrates 9 g sugar 153 mg sodium 4 g fiber 6 g protein BACK TO TOP 7
Chickpea Energy Soup Week 2 (meals 2 + 5), Tuesday, Friday 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 rib celery, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 3 c low-sodium vegetable broth 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes (with juice) 1. Warm oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until soft. 2. Add broth, potatoes, tomatoes and their juice, chickpeas, garam masala, and turmeric and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste. 4. Place half of soup in a blender, puree, and return to pot. Heat through and serve warm. 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 Tbsp garam masala ½ tsp ground turmeric Salt and black pepper Per serving: 402 calories 9 g fat 1 g saturated fat 71 g carbohydrates 4 g sugar 10 mg sodium 9 g fiber 10 g protein BACK TO TOP 8
Ready & Able Root Vegetable Soup Week 2 (meals 3 + 6), Wednesday, Saturday 2 carrots, chopped 1 parsnip, peeled and chopped 1 lg sweet potato, peeled and chopped 1 rutabaga, peeled and chopped 4 c low-sodium vegetable broth 1 c canned light coconut milk 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup 1 tsp dried thyme 1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Cover 2 baking sheets with foil and spray each with olive oil cooking spray. Place carrots and parsnip on 1 baking sheet and sweet potato and rutabaga on the other. 2. Roast vegetables for 40 minutes, or until tender. (Carrots and parsnip may be done first, so keep an eye on them.) Remove from oven and let cool. 3. Transfer vegetables to a blender and add broth, coconut milk, maple syrup, thyme, and chopped rosemary. Blend until smooth and velvety. Heat before serving and garnish with a sprig of rosemary. ¼ tsp dried rosemary, chopped, plus additional sprigs, for garnish Per serving: 172 calories 3 g fat 2.5 g saturated fat 33 g carbohydrates 15 g sugar 213 mg sodium 7 g fiber 2 g protein BACK TO TOP 9
heart-strong spinach soup Makes 4 servings Week 3 (meals 1 + 4), Monday, Thursday 4 5 c chopped spinach 2 c water 1 c chopped fresh basil 1. In a blender, combine spinach, water, basil, cucumber, onion, nuts, oil, and garlic. Blend until desired consistency is reached. Serve cold, garnished with tomato and avocado. 1 sm cucumber, peeled and chopped ¼ c chopped red onion ¼ c almonds, cashews, or pine nuts 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic 1 vine-ripened tomato, chopped, for garnish ½ c chopped avocado, for garnish Per serving: 172 calories 15 g fat 2 g saturated fat 8 g carbohydrates 2 g sugar 23 mg sodium 4 g fiber 4 g protein BACK TO TOP 10
Super Tortilla soup Makes 4 servings Week 3 (meals 2 + 5), Tuesday, Friday 2 c warm water 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (with juice) ½ med red bell pepper, seeded 1 lg carrot 4 sprigs fresh cilantro + additional chopped cilantro, for garnish 1 tsp salt 1. In a large blender, combine water, tomatoes, pepper, carrot, cilantro sprigs, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and half of the avocado. Puree until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. 2. Add corn and beans. Pulse once or twice to blend, but keep soup chunky. 3. Serve topped with a few crushed tortilla chips, the chopped cilantro, and the remaining avocado. 1 tsp garlic powder ½ tsp onion powder 1 avocado, chopped 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed Tortilla chips (look for baked or blue corn style), crushed Per serving: 220 calories 5 g fat 1 g saturated fat 35 g carbohydrates 5 g sugar 940 mg sodium 9 g fiber 9 g protein BACK TO TOP 11
Bad-to-the-Bone soup Week 3 (meals 3 + 6), Wednesday, Saturday 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, quartered 8 oz (2 lg) portobello mushrooms, sliced 6 oz shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 4 sprigs fresh rosemary Salt and black pepper 5 c cauliflower florets 3 c mushroom broth 1. Preheat oven to 425 F. In a large bowl, toss mushrooms with oil, vinegar, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste. 2. Spread mushrooms out on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, or until they begin to caramelize around the edges. After roasting, they should still be moist. 3. Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium-high heat, boil cauliflower for 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain. 4. Add cauliflower and about 2 cups of the broth to a blender. Blend on low until cauliflower is smooth. Add some of the mushrooms to the blender, reserving ¼ cup for garnish. Continue adding broth and mushrooms until desired consistency and flavor are achieved. 5. Serve warm and garnish with reserved mushrooms. Per serving: 141 calories 8 g fat 1 g saturated fat 16 g carbohydrates 6 g sugar 523 mg sodium 5 g fiber 6 g protein BACK TO TOP 12
sweets & beets soup Week 4 (meals 1 + 4), Monday, Thursday 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 c chopped onion 4 c low-sodium vegetable broth 3 c peeled, chopped sweet potatoes 2 c peeled, chopped beets 2 c chopped carrots ½ c chopped fresh parsley plus a few sprigs, for garnish 2 tsp paprika 1. Warm oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown. 2. Add broth, sweet potatoes, beets, and carrots. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. 3. Add chopped parsley, paprika, and garlic powder. Puree in pot using an immersion blender, or place in a standard blender and puree, working in batches. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with a sprig of parsley. 1 tsp garlic powder Salt and black pepper Per serving: 209 calories 4 g fat 1 g saturated fat 40 g carbohydrates 14 g sugar 368 mg sodium 8 g fiber 4 g protein BACK TO TOP 13
gotta glow puree Week 4 (meals 2 + 5), Tuesday, Friday 1 Tbsp canola oil 2 c chopped asparagus 2 ribs celery, chopped 1 bulb fennel, chopped, fronds reserved for garnish 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 ½ c low-sodium vegetable broth 4 5 c chopped kale 1 c spinach 1. Warm oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Add asparagus, celery, chopped fennel, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. 2. Add broth, bring to a boil, and then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 3. Add kale and spinach. Remove saucepan from heat and let cool slightly. 4. Working in batches, transfer soup to a blender. Add lime juice to one of the batches. Puree soup until smooth. 5. Return soup to saucepan and reheat. Garnish each serving with a fennel frond and serve warm. Juice of 1 lime Per serving: 123 calories 4 g fat 0.5 g saturated fat 19 g carbohydrates 3 g sugar 131 mg sodium 6 g fiber 6 g protein BACK TO TOP 14
Curried Carrot & Squash soup Week 4 (meals 3 + 6), Wednesday, Saturday 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 yellow onion, sliced 3 c low-sodium vegetable broth 1 c cooked baby carrots 1 c canned sweet potatoes, drained 1 c broiled yellow squash pieces 1 c unsweetened plain kefir or 2% plain Greek yogurt Juice of 2 limes 2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger 1. Warm oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 7 minutes, or until transparent. 2. Add broth, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, kefir or Greek yogurt, lime juice, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. 3. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Puree in pot using an immersion blender, or place in a standard blender and puree, working in batches. 4. Pour soup back into pot and heat through. Garnish with cilantro. 1 Tbsp curry powder 1 Tbsp ground turmeric 2 tsp rice vinegar Salt and black pepper ¼ c chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish Per serving: 178 calories 6 g fat 2 g saturated fat 26 g carbohydrates 10 g sugar 423 mg sodium 4 g fiber 5 g protein BACK TO TOP 15
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