Hot soups for cold days

November in the Pacific Northwest can be bleak. The rain seems never-ending, days are short and dark and spring feels far away. This time of year calls for comfort foods like soup - but not the kind loaded with fat and salt.

A healthy soup is well-proportioned. That is, it has about the same amount of sodium as calories. For an example of a soup that’s not well-proportioned, let’s consider a can of store-bought soup. It has about 900 milligrams of sodium in each half cup. Most people would eat at least a one-cup serving, and the sodium in one cup represents the recommended daily allowance for sodium, about 1,500 milligrams.

A bowl of soup with mostly broth and salt won’t really fill you up; chances are you will eat more and go over the daily sodium recommendation. A cup of broth-based soup has only about 120 calories, while most seniors need somewhere between 1,200 and 1,700 calories a day.

A low-sodium homemade soup is a much better choice. It can be hearty, flavorful and low in sodium. It will stick to your ribs long after the salty stuff in the can has left you feeling hungry. Homemade soups can also be a budget stretcher. You can freeze the extras for a busy weeknight.

Try making soup the day before you go to the grocery store, when leftovers are at their max. Heat up some homemade or low-sodium broth from the store. Toss in small amounts of cooked or frozen vegetables from previous meals. Right before serving, add leftover rice or pasta. Include a small salad and a homemade biscuit or two, and you have a meal fit for a king at a bargain price.

Homemade Vegetable Soup

2-3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, purchased or homemade, or water

2 tablespoons oil

1 chopped onion

3 cloves garlic

1 can low-sodium tomatoes

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped

Rind of Parmesan cheese if you have it

About 2-3 cups leftover or frozen vegetables; peas, corn, carrots, cauliflower, cubed potatoes

2 cups rice or noodles or low-sodium canned black beans

Saute onion, garlic and mushrooms in oil until caramelized and nicely brown. Add water and tomatoes. If too thick, add more water. Add Parmesan rind and stir occasionally to keep from sticking. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the leftover vegetables, rice, noodles or canned beans 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information

Makes about 8 one-cup servings, depending on the amount and type of vegetables added.

Calories: 123, Carbohydrates: 19 grams, Protein: 3 grams, Sodium: 39 milligrams

Mediterranean roasted pepper soup 

This recipe makes 16 half-cup servings, but it’s so good you will want to serve it in at least one-cup servings. A great idea is to double the recipe and freeze half for later. This beautiful soup makes a great dinner when you are tired. Just reheat in the microwave, add a quick salad and bread and you’ll have a gourmet meal!

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, sliced

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon paprika

½ cup lentils, sorted and rinsed

3 fresh red peppers, roasted

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

1-1½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water

2/3 cup nonfat dry milk

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

¼ cup cashews or almonds, toasted

Heat olive oil, add onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until onions are very soft and caramelized. Add garlic and paprika, cook 2 minutes. Add lentils, peppers, tomatoes and 1 cup of broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer, cover and cook until lentils are very soft, about 30 minutes. In several batches, puree in blender or processor until very smooth. Add second cup of chicken broth, dry milk and vinegar to the last batch. Stir all together. Season with more vinegar if needed. Add ¼ to ½ cup water if soup seems too thick. Serve topped with a sprinkle of nuts and a drizzle of oil if you like. If you freeze some, add a little more vinegar after the soup has been reheated to refresh it.

Nutritional information (per ½ cup serving):
Calories: 240; Carbohydrates: 31 grams; Protein: 11 grams; Fat: 9 grams; Sodium: 128 milligrams

Cheesy Biscuits

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder (low-sodium if possible)

¼ cup butter, softened

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 cup grated cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In food processor or mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder and butter. Blend quickly in food processor. Add milk and vinegar, and then whir or mix just until ingredients are mixed. Fold in cheese. Spoon-drop batter into 12 biscuits on a baking sheet and bake 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown.

Nutritional Information

Makes 12 biscuits

Calories: 158, Carbohydrates: 18 grams, Protein: 5 grams, Sodium: 102 milligrams

[Contributor Katy G. Wilkens recently retired as registered dietitian and department head at Northwest Kidney Centers. The National Kidney Foundation Council on Renal Nutrition has honored her with its highest awards for excellence in education and for significant contributions in renal nutrition. She has also been awarded the Medal of Excellence in kidney nutrition from the American Association of Kidney Patients.]

Eating Well, Living Well classes

Studies show that working with a registered dietitian can delay kidney failure and postpone dialysis for longer than two years. FREE nutrition classes taught by Katy’s former team of registered dietitians are available at convenient times and locations around Puget Sound.

Eating Well, Living Well classes teach people how to eat healthier to slow the progress of kidney disease and postpone dialysis. Learn more at www.nwkidney.org/classes.