Decadent cream-based soups are some of my favorite candidates for EatingWell’s makeover treatment. I love a good challenge and creamy soups are typically loaded with saturated fat and calories precisely because of that quality we love about them: their creaminess. In most cases it’s achieved with (what else?) cream and butter.
But there’s no reason it has to be that way. You can get all the creaminess of a traditional version of a cream-based soup, such as our New England Clam Chowder [7], with a fraction of the fat and calories. And served with a salad, soups make a great meal. In fact there are more than a dozen fabulous creamy soup recipes packed into our new book, Comfort Foods Made Healthy [18].
Here are some of the tricks that we used to make these soups creamy and rich, while keeping them healthy:
* Use reduced-fat milk thickened with flour.
* Use just a touch of cream or butter for flavor.
* Stir reduced-fat sour cream into a soup at the end to add the perfect creamy richness it needs.
* For pureed soups adding a small amount of rice to the soup gives it a creamy, thick, satisfying consistency.
* Potatoes, especially floury ones like russets, pureed into soups make them thick and creamy without the saturated fat.
Links:
[1] http://www.eatingwell.com/user?destination=print/1869
[2] http://www.eatingwell.com/print/1869
[3] http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=healthy_cooking/quick_healthy_cooking/healthy_creamy_soups&linkname=Healthy Creamy Soups
[4] http://bed56888308e93972c04-0dfc23b7b97881dee012a129d9518bae.r34.cf1.rackcdn.com/sites/default/files/new_england_clam_chowder.JPG
[5] http://www.eatingwell.com/healthy_cooking/quick_healthy_cooking/healthy_creamy_soups
[6] http://www.eatingwell.com/healthy_cooking/quick_healthy_cooking/healthy_creamy_soups?section=comments#tabs
[7] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/new_england_clam_chowder.html
[8] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/cream_of_mushroom_barley_soup.html
[9] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/cheddar_ale_soup.html
[10] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/broccoli_cheese_chowder.html
[11] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/tilapia_corn_chowder.html
[12] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/roasted_pear_butternut_soup_with_crumbled_stilton.html
[13] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/creamy_tomato_bisque_with_mozzarella_crostini.html
[14] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/asparagus_soup.html
[15] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/menus/broccoli_white_bean_cheddar_soup
[16] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/fresh_corn_red_pepper_bisque.html
[17] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_soup_recipes
[18] http://www.eatingwell.com/shop
