Keep Your Belly Warm Throughout National Soup Month

Now that it’s January, we’re getting into the frostier months of the year. When it’s cold and snowing outside, I always find myself craving food that will warm and comfort me inside. My go-to meal is none other than soup! January is National Soup Month, which is fitting given the winter season.

There are so many different kinds of soup that you can make at home to keep you full and happy. From Minestrone to Tomato to Chicken Noodle, there’s a perfect soup for everyone.

4 Ways to Make the Perfect Soup:

If you’ve never been a soup person before, now is the perfect opportunity to try a new recipe that could become your number one! When cooking at home, I have a few tips for making the best soup you’ve ever tried.

1) Carbs Are Your Friend. Adding complex carbohydrate-rich vegetables such as potatoes, beans, or brown rice can make a comforting soup even more fulfilling. It doesn’t stop there either; these vegetables are packed with fiber, protein, and other important nutrients your body craves.

2) Eat Your Greens. This advice you probably heard from your parents as a child stays true when making soup. Adding various dark leafy greens such as baby spinach, kale, collard greens or mustard greens can add both nutrition and flavor to your meal.

3) Make Use of Spices. A great way to keep food interesting is the use of a variety of different spices for flavor, experiment to find your favorite. Try cumin, cilantro, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garam masala, and others!

4) Proper Storage. After eating your freshly made soup, you’ll probably have some leftover soup for another night. Keep your soup fresh and yummy by storing it properly in an air-tight sealed container after it has cooled to room temperature. Chill it in the fridge or keep it frozen in the freezer so you can enjoy it again another time.

9 of My Favorite Soups

A bowl of soup can be enjoyed by itself or it can be paired with a perfect side. A sandwich, such as grilled cheese, saltine crackers, or whole-wheat toast work well with the many different soups out there.

There are many wonderful resources available to assist you in finding the perfect soup recipe, such as my most recent cookbook, Enjoying Food Peace: Recipes and Intuitive Eating Wisdom to Nourish Your Body and Mind, which you can purchase here if you haven’t already.

Here are some of my favorites to make:

Minestrone Soup
Split Pea Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup
Tomato Bisque Soup
Mushroom Barley Soup
Three Bean Soup
Butternut Squash Soup
Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup
White Bean and Kale Soup

Take your time to explore how different flavors and aromas work together in the kitchen. It won’t be long before you find your favorite soup and find yourself making it every week.

Your Turn to Take Action: What’s your favorite soup? Let me know in the comments below!