Healthy eating and weight loss go hand in hand. But sometimes, that healthy diet can feel a little repetitive, boring and, well, just too healthy. To break the cycle of salads and skinless chicken breasts, add some soup to your regular meal rotation, like this delicious and surprisingly healthy potato soup with brie cheese and apples.
Soups make a great addition to a healthy diet and can help you lose weight as well. That's because soups, unlike stews or cream based sauces, are generally lower in calories and higher in fiber. You can easily pack soups with healthy legumes, vegetables and other power foods to boost the nutrition content. Soups are also big in flavor and flavorful foods make it seem more like we're indulging than eating healthy.
Potato soup with brie cheese and apples may seem like an unusual choice for weight loss. After all, those thick, cream based soups are usually the ones you try to avoid while dieting. The key to making this soup healthier is a few simple tricks.
First you eliminate the traditional heavy cream, which packs a lot of fat and calories. Instead, use fat free evaporated milk to achieve the same creamy consistency without all the unnecessary fat.
Second, the apples pack a nutritious punch with loads of fiber and vitamin C. Apples also contain large amounts of antioxidants and have been linked to heart health.
The potatoes carry their nutritional weight too, with large amounts of vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium and fiber. Additionally, potatoes are a comfort food so you will feel like you're eating something sinful when you're actually doing your body a favor.
Don't count the brie cheese out of the nutritional equation, either. Brie is high in vitamin B12 and B2 and contains several important minerals including selenium, an important antioxidant.
Instead of yet another salad for dinner, try a satisfying soup instead. You'll be surprised how much a great bowl of soup can help you meet your weight loss goals while filling your tummy at the same time.
RECIPE 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and quartered ¼ cup leeks (whites), sliced 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
2 cups chicken broth (low-sodium!) ¼ Teaspoon dried thyme 1 bay leaf 3 cups evaporated milk (fat-free) 6 small potatoes, peeled and sliced 4 oz. brie cheese, cubed
STEP ONE 1. Spray cooking spray in a pot (soup pot if you have one). 2. Add the apples, leeks and yellow onion. 3. Sauté on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until soft. 4. Add the chicken broth, thyme, bay leaf. Bring it to a boil. 5. Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for approx. 13-15 minutes. 6. Take out the bay leaf. Turn the heat off.
STEP TWO 1. In a differentand large saucepan, add the potatoes and non-fat evaporated milk. (Do this while the broth in Step One is cooking.) 2. Cook ok medium heat for 17-20 minutes, once the potatoes are tender. Make sure to keep stirring while it cooks.
STEP THREE 1. Once both are done, add the potato blend from Step Two into the large soup pot from Step One. 2. Mix evenly. 3. Add ½ the soup to a food processor or blender, and puree. Continue adding the remainder of the soup and cubes of brie cheese while you puree. 4. Once it is pureed and has reached a smooth consistency, add it back to the original soup pot and heat until warm.
Voilà! Your healthy potato soup with brie cheese and apples is ready!
SERVES: 8
