Thanks to Melanie Smith the SB Fitness nutrition consultant for this spicy winter warming soup. To hear more of Melanie recipes follow our foodie Friday posts on the SB Fitness Facebook Page. You can also book a consultation with Melanie. Just get in touch.
Nutritional highlights of this healthy soup – The great thing about eating soup is that it is scientifically proven to leave you feeling fuller for longer than if you were to eat the same ingredients separately with a glass of water.
“The answer lies in the stomach. Scientists have used ultrasound and MRI scans of people’s stomachs to investigate what happens after eating solid-food-plus-water meals compared with the same food made into soup.
After you eat a meal, the pyloric sphincter valve at the bottom of your stomach holds food back so that the digestive juices can get to work.
Water, however, passes straight through the sphincter to your intestines, so drinking water does not contribute to “filling you up”.
When you eat the same meal as a soup, the whole mixture remains in the stomach, because the water and food are blended together. The scientists’ scans confirm that the stomach stays fuller for longer, staving off those hunger pangs.” BBC News Magazine
Melanie’s Healthy Soup Recipe…
SERVES 2
You will need…
SERVES 2
INGREDIENTS
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 1 small brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 small lemongrass stalk, white part finely minced
• 2 cm piece ginger, finely grated
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander stalks
• 2 cups Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Purée
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
• 1/2 cup coconut cream, extra to drizzle
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves
• 1 long red chilli, finely sliced, to garnish
METHOD
1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add lemongrass, ginger, garlic and coriander stalks. Cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
2. Add sweet potato and pumpkin purées, stock and coconut cream. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
3. Using a stick blender, blend soup until smooth.
4. Spoon half the mixture into a bowl and half the mixture into a container for lunch tomorrow.
5. Drizzle with extra coconut cream, coriander leaves and chilli.
Delicious warming spicy soup ideal for the winter, packed full of nutrients. The added benefit to eating soup is that it is scientifically proven to make you feel fuller for longer so you are less likely to reach for a snack.
