Author Archives: BigSouper

Broccoli & Stilton Soup

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Again we have lots of things left in the fridge, they are not leftovers but just things we didn’t really get around to eating. This leads me to having a classic of a soup.

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 1,011 (252 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 broccoli chopped
  • 1 stick of celery chopped
  • 1 leek chopped
  • 1 potato medium, chopped
  • 1 tsp butter
  • 1 vegetable stockpot (any will do)
  • 140g stilton or other blue cheese, crumbled
  • Add hot water to (level 2 in the soupmaker the lower one) or 1 litre in the pan

Method

  • Put all ingredients in the soup maker and set to smooth
  • Alternatively put all of the ingredients into the pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minute’s or so, then blend when done until smooth.
  • For a thinner soup add more water, for a thicker soup add less water.

My Red Cabbage Soup

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Inspired by a friends request for a soup, especially at this time of year, over indulgence has to be dealt with and a good left over soup will deal with this. My red cabbage and roast potato soup should help. Whatever you do remember that this is a leftover soup so you can try manage the amounts against what you have left, if you more of one thing and less of another be inventive. The basic soup is robust and will still deliver.

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 907 (226 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 red cabbage, shredded
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 leeks, diced
  • 4 roast potatoes (normal will do too)
  • 1 tsp of balsamic vinegar (optional)
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 Knorr vegetable stockpot (any veg stock will do)
  • Add hot water to (level 1 in the soupmaker the lower) or 1 litre in the pan
  • 1 dollop of sour cream (or similar) to garnish (optional)

Method:

  • Put all of the ingredient’s into the soup maker and set to smooth or chunky.
  • Alternatively put all of the ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 25 minute’s or so then blend when done until smooth ior chunky.
  • Optional – If you like a thinner soup just add more water or for a thicker soup add less water.

Vegetable Calories

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I want to start off by wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

And share some things I have found.

When I started on my health adventure there were some basic truths that I had face:

  1. I was getting too big and it was starting to affect my health
  2. I ate too much and did not eat enough of the right foods
  3. And I drank a little too much….
  4. Then I realised that this behaviour had to slow down or stop

It is universally accepted that food is a beneficial factor in the weight loss process. I agree that the thought of eating to lose weight is a bit ridiculous, but to me very relevant to me as I love food. I have now come to accept that for me it is true and can be done.

As I am the master of finding the easiest route to something, if it can be done easily then its me. Then it hit me in the face, by eating the right foods like fruit and veg this could be my “easiest” route to losing weight. Since both fruit and veg are lower in calories and higher in volume than most foods they will help me lose weight. They are also jam packed full of vitamins and nutrients which will help my health. Then added to this, and is the best news for me, is the fact that eating fruit and veg helps to actually burn calories.

I found that these vegetables listed below help to burn calories and appear in  a lot of my soups:

  • Asparagus
  • Fennel
  • Squash
  • Broccoli
  • Leek
  • Cabbage
  • Lettuce
  • Carrots
  • Marrow
  • Cauliflower
  • Peppers
  • Celery
  • Radishes
  • Chicory
  • Spinach
  • Cress
  • Tomatoes
  • Cucumbers
  • Turnips
  • Onions

So these will help lose weight and boosts your overall health. Veg is full of nutrients and vitamins like A, C, E, K, carotene, carotenoids, to name but a few and supports your immune system. And whilst your eating more fruit and vegetables you eat less junk food in the process so avoiding sugars, food colouring, high-fructose syrups, and broken down oils. Just avoiding a few of these foods from your eating will result in a positive effect on your health.

Now that I am 3 stones (19 kilos) lighter than I used to be, just by eating and a little walking, I feel 100% better in myself.

Peter

Squash, Lentil and Ginger Soup

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“Take your Soup to Work Day” If this is not a thing then it should be!

On Sunday I decided that I would take my soup to work for lunch. This soupy offering would replace my usual baguette, crisps and diet coke from a local bakery nearby.  The soup itself would provide me with the calories my body needed not the calories that my head desired and that would be sensible.

Being sensible with my food is not always my thing, also being able to do the right thing is sometimes against my nature as my friends would willingly testify to even if they haven’t been asked?  I set about my task of making a soup for work on the Sunday afternoon before the Tottenham v Bournemouth football match.

Anyway my internal fun police have now left the building so its probably off to the nearest pub to watch the second half……..

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 682 (170 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil (other types of oil will do)
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 celery stick sliced small
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 piece of ginger chopped (thumb sized)
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1 medium potato
  • 1.75 of a butternut squash chopped
  • 2 handfuls of red split lentils
  • 1 tsp of oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Knorr vegetable stockpot (any veg stock will do)
  • Add hot water to (level 2 in the soupmaker the higher) or 1.2 litres in the pan

Method:

  • Put all of the ingredient’s into the soup maker and set to smooth.
  • Alternatively put all of the ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 25 minute’s or so then blend when done until smooth.
  • Optional – If you like a thinner soup just add more water or for a thicker soup add less water.

Whole Roasted Veg Soup

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Whilst wrapping presents at the weekend it suddenly got very cold in my house. Instead of dutifully running upstairs to put the heating up a notch or two I decided to put the oven on for a while. Why I here you say? Well I thought I could use up, what I like to call, my “Roastable” veggies.

With the oven on and warming us up, I chopped the veg and I sliced the veg and put them all into the roasting tin, sprinkled them with olive oil and chucked in some herbs. then went back to finishing the wrapping. House cosy, wife warm and happy and presents done for Christmas. The Soup turned out nice too!

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 651  (162 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 1 punnet of yellow tomatoes (any small tomatoes would do)
  • 2 medium red onions chopped and quartered)
  • 2 large beef tomatoes chopped and sliced
  • 1 medium potato sliced
  • 1 pepper (any colour will do, I prefer red)
  • .5 of a butternut squash chopped
  • 1 celery stick sliced small
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 2 tablespoon of olive oil (other types of oil will do)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 Knorr vegetable stock pots (any veg stock will do)
  • Add hot water to (level 2 in the soupmaker the higher) or 1.2 litres in the pan

Method:

  • Cut the veg into chunks or slices and put them all into the roasting tin.
  • Cover with the 2 tablespoon of the oil, some black pepper and the herbs then roast for about 25 to 30 minutes s at about 200.
  • Remove the skins of the tomatoes and peppers if you want to ( I remove the tomato skins not the peppers)
  • Then put all of the ingredient’s, including the stockpots and water into the soup maker and set to smooth.
  • Alternatively put all of the ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 25 minute’s or so then blend when done until smooth.
  • Optional – If you like really thick soup use 1 squash not .5 or if a thinner soup is required add more water for a thicker soup add less water.