Cabbage soup: The fall dish that warms and sheds pounds
In the fall, after summer break, soups regain their popularity. They help you endure the first and subsequent frosts and provide valuable nutrients, warm you up, and satisfy hunger for a long time. Not everyone knows that soups made with sauerkraut can also help shed unwanted pounds.
4:24 PM EST, November 9, 2024
The often overlooked cabbage soup is a tasty and healthy option for November. This soup is rich in vitamin C, which is essential to replenish in order to fend off infections. My grandmother used to cook the broth with pork ribs and added bacon. Inspired by her recipe, you can make cabbage soup with or without meat using vegetable broth.
How does cabbage soup aid in weight loss?
Sauerkraut not only contains a large amount of vitamin C but also fiber, which expands in the stomach. This fullness signals to your brain that you no longer need more food. As a result, you don't feel hungry and avoid craving a snack after lunch.
Moreover, fermentation produces bacteria that positively affect intestinal function. These bacteria help cleanse toxins and improve metabolism. Soups also contain a lot of water, increasing body hydration, which is recommended for a weight-loss diet.
The simplest recipe for a delicious cabbage soup
The given quantity of ingredients will make a pot of soup for 4 people.
Ingredients:
- 5 potatoes
- 2 pounds of sauerkraut
- 7 ounces of smoked bacon
- 1 onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable broth from a jar
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 grains of allspice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Sauté diced bacon in a pan. Add finely chopped onion, and then the drained sauerkraut, garlic clove, allspice, and bay leaf.
- Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring to avoid sticking.
- In a pot, add peeled, washed, and cubed potatoes. Pour in 2 quarts of water and cook until tender. After 10 minutes, add the ingredients from the pan and the broth from the jar. If you have homemade broth, you can use it instead, whether it's from the refrigerator or freezer.
- Cook the soup for another 10 minutes on low heat. Season the ready cabbage soup with salt and pepper according to your taste.
Vegetarian version of cabbage soup
If you follow a vegetarian diet, you can make cabbage soup with lentils or another plant-based addition to enrich the texture and flavor. Options like tempeh, seitan, or tofu have a consistency similar to that of meat when sautéed and absorb spices well.
It's beneficial to sauté the chosen ingredient with onion and cabbage before adding it to the soup. To enhance the aroma of the soup, consider adding cumin, coriander, or chili pepper.
