Taster's Choice: Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup and a Soup Quiz!

The people have spoken and they want Butternut Squash Soup!

Note to Self: Make Better Signs for the Next Party!

On Wednesday, I had my very first soup party at Jimmy's No. 43 to celebrate my one-year of soup making/blogging. But really, I wanted start an on-going communal experience of sharing food, networking and seeing old and meeting new ones friends. 

For this first party, I made a ribollita (bread and white bean soup), a roasted root vegetable and turkey stew, Rachel Mamane's beef and cabbage stew, and a butternut squash and carrot soup - also now known as the Taster's Choice. There was also a mystery soup that Jessica Hulett of Blind Cavefish (followed quickly by Amy Cao of Amy Blog Chow) correctly stated was a parsnip soup - well, really a parsnip apple soup that Emily Mak of eating with emak also noted had onions.

Amy Cao and Sanura Weathers of Team Gazpacho explaining their soup

Jake, Joann, Evan and Matt Working on Their Soup 

Team Potato and Leek - Maritza, Judith and Lori - Figuring out Their Soup

Sister Soupy aka Maritza Norr Showing Her Support

Soup's Up: To Your Health

 A seriously healthy soup-Sweet Potato and Cranberry

 A hearty dose of chickpeas in Seriously Soupy's Hummus Soup

For the most part soup has always been considered a healthy food item — loaded with vegetables and beans, lean meats, and water (or broth) that make it a filing and hearty dish. Of course, there are exceptions to that rule with some cream-based soups, but those to have a place, but maybe more so in moderation. For the most part I too try to make healthy soups, and recently found some interesting articles and new recipes pertaining to just how good soup is for you. So, read up, fill up that ladle, enjoy, and go back for more!

• Soup for Health- A pretty frank and to the point article, stating that our waistlines have essentially gotten too wide. But, low and behold as Dr. Jonn Matsen states the simplest of answers can be found in eating a good dose of soup with vegetables. Apparently, veggies that are cooked in water release bioflavonoids and protect the body against harmful free radicals.  So, the more colorful your soup is, the wider range of antioxidant properties you will receive. Perhaps it's time to try out a new soup idea —25 veggie soup, anyone?

• Soup Up Your Health- Oh, boy are we busy and getting busier as they years go on. So, busy in fact that many of us have foregone traditional ways of cooking in lieu of anything that is quick and easy aka fast food and microwavable dinners. The article by D Laurent states that there is a quick and easy solution to this, and you guessed it — it's soup! The piece goes on to discuss the wonders of stock, healing soups that aid digestion such as tomato and chicken and a general overview of the nutritional properties in soup. Who knew that onions have something called quercetin that is believed to have anti-cancerous, anti-fungal, and anti-viral properties. I'll eat to that!

• Miso Soup: A Delicious Bowl Full of Health and Anti-Aging Benefits- I never doubted that miso was a healthy soup as it is essentially water and soybeans, but after reading this article by Barbara L. Minton I was shocked at just how healthy it really is. As a fermented food, it provides the body with good bacteria to aid with digestion, strengthen the immune system, enhance the absorption of nutrients, protect against certain cancers, as well as protect the body from aging. The article also includes a traditional miso recipe and various studies of this versatile wonder soup.

The Recipes

This is but no means a complete list of healthy soups, just a few recipes that recently caught my eye. Please feel free to include your own recipes in the comments.

• Puree of Chickpea by Martha Rose Shulman from the New York Times
• Turkey Soup by Karina Allrich from Gluen-Free Goddess
  
• Mama's Health Soup  by Lulu from Mama's Taverna
• Butternut Squash and Apple Soup by Christine from Getting the Family Back to Healthy
• Healthy Pork Soup by Lissa from Curious Eats
• Healthy Soups (Part One) 
• Healthy Soups (Part Two) Listing of healthy soups from readers and bloggers featured on Veg Inspirations
• Minestrone Soup by Cajun Chef Ryan from Cajun Chef Ryan
• Green Soup (Spinach) by Pavithra from Dishes from my Kitchen
• Mushroom Barley Soup by Maria from Two Peas in their Pod
• Healthy Chicken Soup by Mama Shirley from Mom's Who Think
• Roasted Eggplant and White Bean Soup by Seriously Soupy Serena from Seriously Soupy
• Lentil Apricot Soup with Roasted Kale by Seriously Soupy Serena from Seriously Soupy
• Sweet Potato and Cranberry Soup by Seriously Soupy Serena from Seriously Soupy

 Seriously Soupy Serena

Black-Eyed Peas and Mixed Veggie Soup

Although I am not the biggest fan of the winter, it is a great time to experiment with soups and especially those that are filing enough to pass off as a meal. With that in mind I wanted to create a bean soup where I started out with one single ingredient — dry black-eyed peas. I have tried this tasty little bean in various dishes, but never used it in a soup. With that part down, I wasn't sure if I wanted to use  kale or spinach or collard greens as the green veggie, but opted to use kale since this was also an ingredient that I haven't cooked with all that much. I also added more veggies (squash, leeks, carrots, and beets) some onions, garlic, salt and pepper. What resulted was a hearty and tasty winter soup that took virtually no time to prepare and cook and is even versatile enough to be substituted for any veggies or another bean based on your preference. Here's the quick and easy black-eyed pea and veggie soup recipe: