soup of the day

soup of the day
kevin ko, vp electronic communications

As VP Electronic Communications, you would think I'd have something half-technical or half-geeky to write about... but I don't. As I sat in front of the TV thinking hard about what I'd write for this issue of Enscquire, it dawned on me. Why not come up with something healthy? A lot of students here in Engineering live in rez, and don't have the convenience of a mother to cook and clean for them. So, I dug up some good recipes for Soup. No, not just any soups, oh no... these are healthy soups.

Weight-Loss Soup
a.k.a. Look-Less-Like-A-Comp-Sci-Student Soup

Here's a real recipe for weight loss: each serving has a mere 154 calories (only 17% of them from fat). A recent study found that soup suppressed hunger and led diners to consume fewer total calories during a meal. You'll feel full longer (thanks to the fiber in the brown rice), letting you get back to those Ensc labs.

weight-loss soup Ingredients:

1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 28-oz cans plum tomatoes
1 c quick-cooking brown rice
1 c reduced-fat chicken broth
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Procedure:
(makes 6 one-and-a-half cup servings)
In a 4-quart pot, combine the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and oil.
Cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring often. Put the tomatoes (juice included) in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the tomatoes to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes.
Then add rice and broth, cover, and simmer for another 20 minutes. Sprinkle dried herbs over the top before serving.
Per serving (one-and-a-half cups): 154 calories, 3 g fat, 3 g fiber, 5 g protein, and 27 g carbohydrates.

Recovery Soup

What you eat after a workout (as Engineering students often do) is almost as important as what you've just done in the gym. Lifting weights breaks down muscle tissue, so your body needs protein to rebuild it stronger than before. Carbohydrates are also essential, as they restore glycogen, the muscle "fuel" that is lost during exercise. This delicious looking soup has both protein and carbohydrates, along with calcium, magnesium, and potassium to protect against muscle cramping. I kid you not.

Ingredients: recover soup

12 oz ground sirloin

2 1/2 c low-sodium beef broth

1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp onion powder

A pinch of garlic powder

1/2 c elbow macaroni

1 16-oz can low-sodium

stewed tomatoes

1 16-oz can kidney beans,

rinsed and drained

As with any recipe, you can add in or leave out whatever you want (at your own risk). For example, I'd be happy to see the beans go.

Procedure:
(makes 4 2-cup servings)

Cook the ground beef in a skillet; drain it on paper towels. Put the beef into large saucepan and stir in the broth, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cover and bring to a boil. Stir in the macaroni, boil again, then reduce the heat and simmer for 8 minutes or until the macaroni is tender. Stir in the tomatoes (juice and all), and add the kidney beans. Simmer until the beans are heated through.

Per serving (2 cups): 298 calories, 3 g fat, 9 g fiber, 36 g protein, and 35 g carbohydrates.

That's all for this installment of "In Kevin's Kitchen". These recipes and more nutritious ideas can be found in new and past issues of Men's Health Magazine.