Winter is here! Nothing beats the winter months like a warm bowl of homemade soup. One of the things I love about soups are the variety of flavours and textures they offer, from spicy to creamy and chunky ones.
You can add or substitute meat or poultry with plant-based sources of protein like beans, lentils and tofu in these soup recipes. You can even use frozen, canned or leftover vegetables from the fridge.
Soup recipes are easy to prepare and easy to eat, especially if you’re struggling with pregnancy nausea or nearing the end of your pregnancy and just can’t manage a full meal.
Here’s one of my favourite soup recipes that’s full of essential vitamins and nutrients!
Hearty Lentil, Tomato & Tofu Soup
Ingredients:
| 2 tsp | vegetable oil | 10 mL |
| 1 | large onion, finely chopped | 1 |
| 3 | cloves of garlic, minced | 3 |
| 1 | carrot, diced | 1 |
| 1 | celery stalk, diced | 1 |
| 1 tsp | each of dry basil and parsley | 5 mL |
| 1 cup | dried green lentils | 250 mL |
| 2 tbsp | tomato paste | 30 mL |
| 6 cups | vegetable broth (low sodium) | 1.5 L |
| 1 (27oz) can | diced tomatoes, undrained | 1 (796mL) can |
| 1 block (12oz) | firm tofu, diced | 1 block (350 g) |
| 1 cup | frozen green peas | 250 mL |
| ¼ tsp | each of salt and pepper | 1 mL |
Directions:
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat and cook onion, garlic, carrot, celery, basil and parsley for about 8 minutes or until onions and carrots are softened.
- Add lentils and tomato paste and cook stirring for 2 minutes.
- Add vegetable stock and canned diced tomatoes with the juice and bring to boil.
- Cover and reduce heat; simmer for about 1 hour or until lentils are tender.
- Add tofu, peas, salt and pepper to the soup and cook for another 5 minutes or until peas are tender and cooked through.
Makes 8 servings
Nutrition Information
Per serving: 190 calories, 3.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 460 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 6 g fibre, 8 g sugars, 12 g protein, 22% DV vitamin A, 40% DV vitamin C, 10% DV calcium, 30% DV iron.
