Recipes to beat disease: 3 soups with healing power

Packed full of vitamins and nutrients, these 3 soup recipes will help keep you healthy. Although they're a bit more work than basic soups, the payoff is more than worth it.

Tomato juice, packed with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, provides the base for this spicy and sweet take on traditional gazpacho.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 750 ml (3 c) tomato juice
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) tomato paste
• 1 large apple (unpeeled), cut into chunks
• 175 g (3/4 c) finely chopped red onion (about 1 medium), divided
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 75 g (1/3 c) natural unblanched almonds
• 50 ml (1/4 c) red wine vinegar
• 10 ml (2 tsp) Louisiana-style red pepper sauce
• 5 ml (1 tsp) chili powder
• 3 ml (3/4 tsp)  ground coriander
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
• 4 plum tomatoes, cut into 1 cm (1/2 in) chunks
• 1 avocado, cut into 1 cm (1/2 in) chunks, to garnish

Method:

1. In a blender, combine tomato juice, tomato paste, apple, 125 grams (1/2 cup) onion, garlic, almonds, vinegar, red pepper sauce, chili powder, coriander and salt; process until still chunky.
2. Pour the gazpacho into a serving bowl and stir in 125 ml (1/2 cup) water and tomato chunks; chill.
3. Serve the soup topped with the remaining 50 grams (1/4 cup) onion and the avocado.

Nutritional information per serving:

• 213 Calories
• 12 g Fat
• 1.4 g Saturated Fat
• 6 g Protein
• 26 g Carbohydrate
• 5.4 g Fibre
• 0 mg Cholesterol
• 985 mg Sodium

Curry powder and ginger lend an Indian feel to this nutrient-packed soup that provides beta-carotene — to help protect eyesight — and potassium, calcium and magnesium for high blood pressure.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4

• 10 ml (2 tsp) olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 red apples, divided
• 1 kg (2 lb) butternut squash, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 large baking potato, peeled and thinly sliced
• 10 ml (2 tsp) curry powder
• 5 ml (1 tsp) ground ginger
• 5 ml (1 tsp) salt
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) cinnamon
• 250 ml (1 c) low-fat (1%) milk
• 50 g (1/4 c) roasted cashews, coarsely chopped

Method:

1.  In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently for five minutes, or until golden brown.
2. Peel, core and slice 3 1/2 of the apples. Add to the pot along with the butternut squash, potato, curry powder, ginger, salt and cinnamon, and stir to combine. Add 750 ml (three cups) water; cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
3. Transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Return mixture to the pot, add milk and whisk to combine. Cook over low heat until heated.
4. Thinly slice the remaining 1/2 apple (unpeeled). Spoon the soup into mugs or soup bowls and top with the cashews and apple slices.

Nutritional information per serving:

• 314 Calories
• 7.7 g Fat
• 1.6 g Saturated Fat
• 7 g Protein
• 61 g Carbohydrate
• 8.1 g Fibre
• 2 mg Cholesterol
• 627 mg Sodium

Warm Moroccan spices, tempered by sweet carrots, carrot juice and tomato paste, add complexity to this soup. Carrots have plenty of the antioxidant beta-carotene, which protects cells from free radical damage.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 500 g (1 lb) carrots, thinly sliced
• 3 ml (3/4 tsp) cinnamon
• 3 ml (3/4 tsp) ground ginger
• 3 ml (3/4 tsp) turmeric
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) paprika
• 250 ml (1 c) carrot juice
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) tomato paste
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) rice
• 3 ml (3/4 tsp) salt
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) pepper
• 125 g (1/2 c) chopped cilantro

Method:

1. In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently for five minutes, or until onion is golden.
2. Stir in the carrots, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric and paprika; cook for one minute. Stir in carrot juice, tomato paste, rice, salt, pepper and 500 ml (two cups) water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until carrots and rice are tender.
3. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. Sprinkle soup with cilantro when serving.

Nutritional information per serving:

• 167 Calories
• 4 g Fat
• 0.12 g Saturated Fat
• 4 g Protein
• 31 g Carbohydrate
• 4.9 g Fibre
• 0 mg Cholesterol
• 562 mg Sodium

There you have it – 3 delicious soup recipes that are also sure to help keep your body feeling great. Try to work them into your weekly meal plan.

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