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Have you heard of the cabbage soup diet? We tell you how it works, what risks are associated with the crash diet and which recipes you can use to make the soup.

Cabbage Soup Diet: What’s behind it?

The thesis of the cabbage soup diet is simple: digesting the cabbage soup requires more calories than are ingested during the meal. This is intended to achieve a weight loss of up to 8 kilograms within a week, which is also confirmed by many positive reports on the Internet. Critics, on the other hand, blame the weight loss on dehydration and muscle loss due to protein deficiency.

However, the one-sided diet offers some advantages:

Cabbage contains many vitamins and minerals
inexpensive
seasonal
often also regionally
fast and easy
prepare well

This is how the cabbage soup diet works

There is no patent recipe for the cabbage soup diet. Basically, it’s about eating cabbage soup for a week: morning, noon, night. Depending on the variant, additional food may or may not be allowed. You can’t feel hungry during the cabbage soup diet, so you can eat as much cabbage soup as you want. It is also important that you drink a lot: three to four liters of water a day are recommended. Abstaining from coffee and alcohol is mandatory.

The basic ingredients for a cabbage soup diet are mainly various types of cabbage:

white cabbage
savoy
Kale
cabbage
Cauliflower
But herbs such as parsley or other soup vegetables such as celery, tomatoes, carrots and onions may also be consumed.

Risks and side effects of the cabbage soup diet

Since you are not allowed to eat between meals or snacks on the cabbage soup diet, the cravings for forbidden things automatically increase. You can also get protein and carbohydrate deficiencies as a result of the diet. This in turn increases appetite for foods high in protein and carbohydrates. In addition, the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) points out that increased fat burning through the cabbage soup diet has not yet been scientifically proven.

You can counteract the protein and carbohydrate deficiency by eating other foods in addition to the cabbage soup – as provided for in some variants of the diet. In this case, red lentils are a good choice: They contain a lot of proteins, but also carbohydrates.

In addition to nutrient deficiencies and food cravings, you can get bloated because cabbage is high in fiber. A fennel tea helps here after the meal – or you season your soup with caraway seeds.

As is often the case with diets, experts suspect that the cause of weight loss is low calorie intake and doubt the miracle effect of cabbage soup. In principle, however, there is nothing wrong with cabbage soup, especially with regard to the vitamin content. For days, however, the cabbage soup diet is probably too monotonous.

The cabbage soup diet is not recommended for people with circulatory or metabolic diseases.

Cabbage soup: basic recipe and possible variations

The basic recipe for cabbage soup is simple, requires few ingredients and is quick. In addition, you can theoretically pre-cook them for your entire cabbage soup diet week. Cabbage soup can be stored in the fridge for a few days, but it can also be frozen.

First you need the following ingredients:

8 onions
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp mustard
1 kg of carrots
1 stick of celery or half a celeriac
1 large head of cabbage, for example white cabbage
1 pepper
8 tomatoes
Parsely
Pepper salt
chili
Caraway seeds
Ginger

How to prepare the cabbage soup:

Peel and chop the onions and sauté them in a large saucepan until translucent.
Add the tomato paste and mustard.
Peel the carrots and celery root, dice them and add them to the pot as well.
Fry the vegetables for about four to five minutes.
Wash the cabbage and peppers, chop them up and add them to the onion, carrot and celery mixture.
Fry everything together for three more minutes.
Chop the tomatoes, add them to the pot and fry them for two minutes.
Deglaze the vegetables with 4 to 5 liters of water and season to your taste.
Bring the soup to a boil, put the lid on the pot and let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes. Depending on how big you cut your veggies, the cooking time may be a little shorter or longer. When the vegetables are cooked, the soup is ready.

You can season the cabbage soup with spice mixtures from all over the world. For example, turmeric, curry, cinnamon and garam masala provide Indian spice. The Italian version succeeds with oregano, basil and herb salt, while miso paste gives the soup a Japanese touch.

If you like smoothies in the morning, simply puree your soup and enjoy it thick and cold like a gazpacho. To achieve a smoothie consistency, simply add 1-2 tablespoons of cashew butter to your cabbage soup.

If you want to control your weight long-term, the cabbage soup diet won’t work wonders either. Try to change your diet sustainably and exercise and do sports regularly. In this way you will permanently achieve a healthy weight.

With a soup diet you can eat healthily and sustainably and relieve your digestive system. However, in the form of a crash diet, it can also be problematic. Here you can find out more about the advantages and disadvantages.

Many magazines and journals praise a soup diet primarily as a weight loss diet. So you should “spoon yourself slim” when you have “sinned” again. However, such an attitude can quickly lead to us starving for days and working exclusively towards an ideal weight. Whether the diet is healthy and sustainable often plays a subordinate role.

This not only promotes a nutrient deficiency and promotes the yo-yo effect after the diet, but possibly also a negative self-image. Therefore, focus more on eating healthily as part of the soup diet and doing something good for your body. If you want to lose weight, you should continue to take care of your mental health and avoid constant hunger pangs.

Soup Diet: General Advice

In order to make a soup diet not only healthy and filling, but also ecologically sensible, you can consider the following tips:

Incorporate as many different types of vegetables into your diet as possible. When making your selection, you should base your selection on what is available seasonally. In autumn and winter, for example, pumpkin, potatoes, parsnips, kale and leeks are ideal. In the warm months you can fall back on tomatoes, zucchini, peppers and broccoli. You can find more information about this in our season calendar.
To save time, you can prepare a large amount of soup at once. You can also freeze them in portions and thaw them as needed. Then you will soon always have different types of soup in stock and make sure that your menu is varied enough. Tip: You can freeze your soups plastic-free in a number of ways, for example by freezing them in jars.
If you want to relieve your intestines for some time, you should cook the vegetables sufficiently and puree the soup well.
In order not to lose the joy of eating, you can spice up your soups with spices, herbs, oils and (vegetable) cream. You can also add lentils and beans before pureeing. They ensure a creamy consistency and provide you with vegetable protein.
If you are more hungry, you can also add some cooked rice to the soup.
Do you sometimes feel like something sweet? This is also not a problem with a soup diet. You can make a warm breakfast soup from oatmeal, steamed fruit, plant drink and nut butter.
If you make sure you get enough calories and nutrients, you can follow a soup diet for up to two weeks. After that, you should slowly reintroduce your digestive system to solid food. To relieve your body even more, you can also do without alcohol, nicotine and sweets during the soup fast.

Soup Diet: These are the benefits

Done properly, a soup diet can provide numerous benefits:

So you eat a lot of vegetables (and possibly also cooked fruit) during this time and thus provide yourself with many micronutrients.
If you pay attention to regional foods, this diet is also climate-friendly. After all, you save a lot of CO2 emissions. If you use organic goods, you also avoid chemical-synthetic pesticides.
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we often don’t chew long enough, so our intestines have to struggle with larger pieces of food. This can lead to flatulence and a feeling of fullness. With a soup diet, you can give your digestive system a break for a while.
Especially in the cold season you can warm up with the warm soups at every meal.
You may also try lots of new healthy soup recipes. This way you avoid ready meals and can use the cooking time as valuable me-time.
Ideally, you will be motivated to continue eating healthily and sustainably even after the soup diet.

You should pay attention to these disadvantages

Depending on how you design it, a soup diet can also have disadvantages:

If you only make soups from low-calorie vegetables, you will hardly get full. Therefore, make sure to include filling ingredients (such as potatoes, pumpkin, legumes or rice) and also enough fat (e.g. in the form of high-quality vegetable oils or (vegan) cream).
There is a high risk that after a few days on the soup diet you will quickly become bored and feel like eating solid food. You can then either take a short break or make sure to make the soups more interesting in terms of taste.
Maybe you get the impression that you don’t have to drink as much anymore. After all, you only eat liquid food all day long. Nevertheless, you should continue to drink at least one and a half to two liters of liquid per day. It is best to use (still) water or unsweetened tea.
As with many forms of dieting, a decisive disadvantage of a soup diet is that you can no longer easily go out to eat with friends. After all, you want to go through with your soup cure. Therefore, you should not practice this diet for too long. Alternatively, you can treat yourself to an exception or order a soup in the restaurant.

You should never throw away asparagus peel, because you can use it to cook a tasty asparagus soup. In our simple recipe, we show you how easy it is to cook a delicious asparagus soup with just a few ingredients.

Cooking asparagus soup from asparagus peels – the ingredients

It is best to buy white asparagus during the asparagus season from mid-April to June. Make sure that the asparagus comes from the region, as long transport routes are bad for the climate. In addition, you should only use organic asparagus, since conventional asparagus spears are treated with chemical-synthetic pesticides. Organically grown asparagus is usually a bit more expensive, so you should definitely use the asparagus skin as well – for example for an asparagus soup. Because the peel is also very aromatic and you avoid wasting food. With three small changes to the recipe, you can also prepare the asparagus soup vegan.

For two servings you need the following ingredients:

Peel of 500 g white asparagus
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
10 g butter or vegan margarine
2 tbsp flour
optionally 1 egg yolk
50 g whipped cream or vegan cream
Pepper, nutmeg and chervil to taste

Recipe: cook asparagus soup from bowls

Wash the asparagus shells.
Put the peels in a saucepan with the salt, sugar and lemon juice and add enough water to cover the peels.
Bring the water with the peels to a boil and then let them simmer for about ten minutes.
Pour the soup through a sieve and collect the liquid in a saucepan. The asparagus shells are now boiled and you can dispose of them in the organic waste.
Then, in a tall saucepan, prepare a roux by heating butter in a separate saucepan, adding the flour and mixing well.
Then gradually add the asparagus peel water to the roux. Be sure to stir regularly and vigorously to avoid lumps later in the soup.
Season the soup with a little salt and then briefly boil it again.
Take the pot off the stove, mix the egg yolks and cream together and add both to the soup.
Tip: Asparagus contains bitter substances, especially under the skin. Therefore, do not cook the peel for too long. This way you avoid too many bitter substances going into your soup.

You can serve the soup now and serve it with chervil or grilled asparagus, for example. However, you should not boil the soup again, otherwise the egg would clump together.

Introduction: Locro de Papa, a Traditional Ecuadorian Delicacy

Locro de papa is a hearty potato soup that is a staple of Ecuadorian cuisine. This delicious and nutritious dish is made with a variety of ingredients, including potatoes, corn, cheese, and a variety of spices. Locro de papa is typically served as a main course or as a starter dish and is enjoyed by people of all ages.

The roots of locro de papa can be traced back to the indigenous people of the Andean region of South America. The dish has been passed down from generation to generation and has become a symbol of Ecuadorian culture. Today, locro de papa is enjoyed throughout the country and is a beloved dish that represents the rich history and traditions of Ecuador.

Ingredients: The Key Components of Locro de Papa

The key ingredients in locro de papa are potatoes, corn, and cheese. Other important ingredients include onion, garlic, cumin, and achiote, which give the soup its distinctive flavor. The type of potato used in the soup can vary depending on personal preference, but yellow potatoes are typically used.

To make locro de papa, you will also need milk, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. The cheese used in the soup can also vary, but queso fresco, a type of fresh cheese, is commonly used in Ecuadorian cuisine. The final touch is the toppings, which can include avocado slices, popcorn, and cilantro.

Preparing the Potatoes: First Step to Making Locro de Papa

The first step in making locro de papa is to prepare the potatoes. Peel and cut the potatoes into small cubes and rinse them in cold water. Then, place the potatoes in a pot with salted water and bring them to a boil. Cook the potatoes until they are tender, but not mushy. Drain the water and set aside the potatoes.

Sautéing the Onion and Garlic: Adding Flavor to the Soup

The next step is to sauté the onion and garlic in a pot with oil until they are soft and fragrant. Add cumin and achiote to the pot and cook for a few minutes to release their flavors. Then, add the cooked potatoes to the pot and sauté them with the onion and garlic mixture for a few minutes.

Adding the Potatoes, Corn, and Cheese: Building the Soup Base

After sautéing the potatoes, add corn to the pot and stir well. Then, add milk and heavy cream to the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the cheese to the pot and stir well until the cheese has melted and the soup is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Simmering and Mixing: Creating the Perfect Consistency

Once the soup is seasoned, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the soup from sticking to the bottom of the pot. During this time, the flavors will meld together and the soup will thicken slightly.

Adding the Final Touches: Toppings and Serving Suggestions

Once the soup is done, it’s time to add the final touches. Serve the soup in bowls and top with avocado slices, popcorn, and cilantro. Additional toppings can include fried pork rinds, sliced hard-boiled eggs, and sliced scallions. Locro de papa is typically served with a side of white rice and can be enjoyed with a refreshing glass of chicha, a traditional Ecuadorian drink made from fermented corn.

Conclusion: Enjoying Locro de Papa, a Symbol of Ecuadorian Culture

Locro de papa is a delicious and nutritious dish that is a symbol of Ecuadorian culture. This hearty potato soup is easy to make and can be customized to suit personal tastes. Whether you’re a fan of spicy or mild flavors, locro de papa is sure to satisfy your appetite and provide a taste of Ecuadorian cuisine. So why not give it a try and experience the flavors of Ecuador for yourself?