Not the Cabbage Soup diet

　

The 7-day cabbage soup diet was a popular method to lose a bit of weight quickly but it was bland. Cabbage soup can be made in a variety of tasty ways.

These are just a few ways you can prepare the very healthy cabbage soup. Any of the following soups can be blended or served as is when cooked.
4 servings:


Cabbage and Rice soup:

Thin slice 1 head savoy cabbage, 1 medium onion, 2 carrots, 2 bell peppers, 2 sticks celery. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok or large saucepan, add veg and keep turning for 3 mins. Add salt, freshly-ground black pepper, 1 tbsp oregano and garlic salt, 1tsp paprika.

Add 454g plum tomatoes and snip the tomatoes with a pair of scissors to break up. Add 1 pint hot vegetable stock then bring to a boil.

Lower heat to a simmer, add 4oz uncooked brown rice and cook for around 15-20 until rice is cooked and vegetables are soft enough.

Potato & savoy cabbage soup wth bacon
1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp oil, 550g floury potatoes diced,

1litre chicken or vegetable stock, 8 rashers streaky bacon, a quarter medium Savoy cabbage (about 200g/8oz)

Chop the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in a food processor. Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the vegetables and potatoes, season well, then reduce the heat and cover the pan. Gently cook for about 5 mins until starting to soften, then add the stock, turn up the heat and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 mins more, or until all the vegetables are tender.

While the soup is cooking, grill or fry the bacon until crisp, then cut into strips. Shred the cabbage, discarding the core.

Whizz the soup in the food processor until smooth, then return to the pan and add the cabbage. Simmer for a few mins until the cabbage is just tender, then season to taste and serve scattered with the bacon.

 



Refreshing Cabbage Soup:

- 3 cups of chicken or beef stock
- 1 1/2 cups of green cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 tbsp of prepared mustard
- 1 tsp of sugar
- 2 cups of buttermilk
- 1 cucumber, finely diced
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley

In a medium saucepan, heat the stock and add the cabbage. Let this simmer for around 10 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and mix in the mustard, dill, and sugar. Stir in the buttermilk and add the cucumber. Chill the soup for about 2.5 hours or depending on your refrigerator. Put some parsley to garnish the soup and enjoy the soup ice cold. A yummy soup on a hot summer day!

The Military Diet Cabbage Soup:

- 1 large head of cabbage
- 1 large bunch of celery
- 2 bunches of green onion
- 1 large can of whole tomato
- 2 pints of chicken stock
- 3 large bell peppers
- Salt and pepper to taste

Military way is short and simple. Chop all the vegetables and add to a large pot of chicken stock. Bring to the boil, add the whole tomatoes and cook with low heat for 15 minutes. Serve.

Zucchini Cabbage Soup Recipe:

- ½ medium head of cabbage, diced
- 3 small corgette, diced
- 1 large clove of garlic, crushed and minced
- ¼ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 12 ounces of vegetable juice
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can French Onion Soup
- 1-2 cups chopped spinach
- ½ cup sliced carrots
- Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients, bring to boil and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Weight Watchers Cabbage Soup:

- 1 large dark green cabbage
- 1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow pepper
- 1 head of celery
- 2 carrots
- 2 lbs of mushroom
- 3 big leeks
- Small bag spinach
- Big bag water cress
- Big bag rocket leaves
- 3 onions
- 1 can Weight Watchers chicken soup

Combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Upon boiling, decrease heat and let the soup cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. Serve

.

Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup



In a small bowl mix 1tsp of each of chilli flakes, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, fennel seeds and black pepper.

Dice 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks, 1 medium potato and 1 onion, 2 small diced garlic cloves and 3 medium tomatoes. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large saucepan add the veg and the above spices cooking for 2 mins turning in wok. Add 2 pints of hot vegetable stock, bring to boil then simmer for 20 miins.

Add 1tbsp tomato puree (or ketchup will do), 1 tsp salt and white pepper, 454g tin chopped tomatoes and 454g jar of roasted red peppers.

Bring to the boil again then simmer for 10 mins. Allow to cool a bit then use a blender to thicken.

The soup is good to eat now but the flavours will be enhanced if left overnight in the fridge to develop. Serve 4 or freezes well.

Sweet potato, carrot and lentil soup



Soup is a substantial meal for cold winter days, which can be batch made, serve 1 and just eat over 2-3 days.

Serves 6 or can be frozen

Heat 3tbsp oil medium heat in a wok or large saucepan and add 2tsp curry powder, half tsp each ground cumin, turmeric, fennel seeds and mustard seeds, cook for 2 mins turning in oil.

Grate 2 onions and 1 apple and add those along with 3 crushed garlic cloves, a thumb sized grated piece of ginger and 20g fresh coriander stalks. Season to taste and cook for 5 mins.

Peel and grate 400g sweet potato and 6 medium carrots. Add to the wok along with 1.2 litres hot vegetable stock & 100g rinsed red lentils.

Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 20 mins. Serve as is with a dash of lime juice and roughly chopped coriander leaves on top. Or allow to cool a bit before blending with a blender.

More of my soups:
Parsnip and spinach

 

Spiced cauliflower soup

Chinese shrimp and tofu soup

Chinese egg soup


  

Parsnip and Spinach soup



Vegetable oil,

1 knob butter,

1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped,

2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped,

1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped,

1 tablespoon garam masala,

6 parsnips, peeled and chopped into chunks,

1 litre vegetable stock,

Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper,

1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced,

2 handfuls fresh spinach leaves,

tsp's natural yoghurt

optional crusty bread, to serve


Heat a splash of oil and the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and garam masala. Gently fry for around 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and sweet.

Drop in the chopped parsnip and spinach leaves and stir together so that everything gets coated in the oil and flavours. Pour in the stock, season well and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes with a lid on.

After half an hour, check that the parsnips are cooked by sticking a knife in. If you’re happy, remove them from the heat and carefully whiz up using a hand blender or liquidizer. Taste the soup to see if it needs a little more salt or pepper.

Serve with 1tsp of natural yoghurt and sliced red chilli, if you like, and a good chunk of crusty bread.

Tip: Use 500ml coconut milk for a twist.

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Smoked Paprika King Prawns



In a bowl place 1tsp rosemary, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1tsp smoked paprika and turmeric, 1 tsp rapeseed oil & 6 tbsp hot water. Add 5 frozen king prawns. Segment 1 orange and add that. Set aside. Leave for 30 mins.

In a saucepan place 5 tbsp wholewheat couscous with 1tsp dried chilli flakes, juice from 1 orange and 1 lemon, 2tbsp hot water, (frozen veg) - 2tbsp each mixed sliced peppers, mushrooms, sliced green beans, broad beans, peas. Add the king prawns mixture, lid on and bring to boil. Turn the heat off and leave for 10 monutes until the liquid has been absorbed. Serve with the king prawns on top of the dish, peeling the prawns before eating. Serves 1.

Spiced Cauliflower soup



Heat 1 tablespoon of the rapeseed oil in a deep-sided sauté pan over a medium heat. Add 1 fine chopped onion and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until just softened. Stir in 1tbsp mild curry powder and cook for a further minute, then add 1rough chopped cauliflower (stalk removed) and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.

Pour in 1 tbsp white vinegar, 500ml milk and 500ml vegetable stock and bring the soup to the boil, then reduce the heat until the soup is simmering and simmer gently for 12-15 minutes, or until the cauliflower florets are just tender. Remove any scum which may have formed.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the rapeseed oil in a separate frying pan over a medium heat. Fry 2 slices of white bread which has been cut into cubes on all sides until golden-brown all over, then set aside to drain on kitchen paper.

When the soup is ready, set aside to cool slightly, then blend to a smooth purée using a food processor or hand-held blender. Return the soup to the saucepan, season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Serve the soup in bowls and garnish each portion with a scattering of croûtons and chopped fresh coriander or parsley, and a drizzle of the remaining rapeseed oil.

Cooking well for less - 5 ways to serve fish

 Tinned fish is often fresher than 'fresh' fish as it is frozen, cooked and canned within 2 days whereas 'fresh' fish can be up to 14 days old when sold. Tuna is the only tinned fish which loses it's omega-3 on the canning process.
5 ways to serve fish:
Stir-fry thin strips of carrots, red pepper and brocolli with noodles, topped with grilled or baked trout fillet.

Use leftover mash potato to make fishcakes with cooked or tinned salmon and egg to bind.

Flake cooked mackerel into a potato and green bean salad with an orange vinaigrette dressing (oil, orange juice, white vinegar 3-1 parts).

Make tinned sardines into pate by blitzing in a blender with fromage frais, lemon zest and a little horseradish sauce. Serve with crusty bread or hot toast.

Tinned pilchards or mackerel on toast topped with slices of tomato.