Creamy & Comforting: Healthy Soup Recipes For A Cozy Ramadan Iftar
For many homes across Ramadan, soup is a must-have on the iftar dinner table with the most popular being the infamous lentil soup. If you’re craving something different but equally healthy, there are many fun recipes that you can try. We made sure to pick out recipes that include ingredients packed with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that are essential for the body to bare those long fasting hours. With that, let’s go through some of our top picks.
Carrot & Oatmeal Soup
No one would think that carrot and oatmeal are a soup combo but this recipe proves otherwise. Beyond its sweet and grainy flavor, this type of soup boasts many health benefits. When it comes to the oatmeal, it’s that one type of grain that is full of many of the essential nutrients that our body needs. It’s also rich in soluble fiber which make it easier for people who want to lose weight. As for the carrot, it is very healthy as it contains rich vitamins, minerals, and beta-carotene which improves vision, fights cancer, and protects the liver. Let’s go through the recipe to see how you can make this special soup:
Ingredients: 1 cup of grated carrots, 1/4 cup of rolled oatmeal, 1 clove of garlic, 1 small onion, salt, pepper, nutmeg, 5 cups of skimmed broth, and 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
Recipe: In a medium-sized pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and salt to the pot and wait from 5 to 8 minutes until onions are soft. Remember to keep stirring to prevent browning. Then add the carrots and cover the pot over low heat for 6 minutes. After the carrots are softened, add the oats and the broth and turn the heat to high in order for the soup to boil. When everything is cooked, pour the soup into a blender and blend it until it is creamy. Finally add some lemon juice (optional) and enjoy your soup.
Broccoli Mint Soup
In a lot of households, just hearing the word broccoli makes everyone’s face twinge in annoyance. It may not be popular especially among kids but it can make for a delicious soup. When you eat broccoli you get dozens, and maybe even hundreds of nutrients that support your health. Among the many benefits of broccoli is that it protects us from joints’ inflammation, maintains blood pressure rates and reduces cholesterol. Generally, broccoli is anti-aging and improves the human’s immunity system. The other main ingredient of this soup is mint. Because of its oils, mint is the best cure for all gastrointestinal problems, treats respiratory disorders, relieves pain such as headaches, and improves memory. Let’s find out how you can make this soup:
Ingredients: 5 broccoli heads, 2 mint branches, 1 onion, 1 garlic, 1 and a half cup of water, half a cup of milk, small tablespoon of cumin, and 1 cube of chicken broth.
Recipe: Cut the onion and garlic, then add them to some oil in a large saucepan. Placed over medium heat, let them sweat until soft and fragrant. Add the broccoli, broth, and milk. After the mixture is boiled, add the mint leaves and wait until they are soft. Now the soap is ready.
Beet Soup
Who doesn’t love that deep red color that overpowers any dish whose main ingredient is the infamous beet. Beyond its fun pop of color, beets also have this addictive earthy and sweet taste that make them a great addition to any dish. The tasty red-colored beet also has many benefits for our health including how it has enzymes that can help fight cancer, it remove body toxins, improves skin and hair, and also reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Let’s check out the recipe:
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/5 chopped yellow onion, 3 peeled and smashed garlic cloves, 3 cups of chopped and peeled beets, thyme leaves, and 1/2 cup of plain yogurt.
Recipe: In a medium-sized saucepan heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and salt then wait until they’re soft. Add beets and 4 cups of water, and cover until the beets are soft and tender. Let it cool and then move the mixture into a blender. Blend until smooth then top it with thyme and it’s ready to eat.
Roasted Red-Pepper Soup
Red pepper has this magical quality when added to any dish like how it adds that perfect level of sweetness to a classic muhammara (a smoky dip made of walnuts and roasted red peppers). The same can be said when it’s the main component of a hearty soup. By using roasted peppers, you’ll get that smoky charred flavor coupled with a touch of sweetness. Health-wise, red pepper is pretty great as it’s rich in antioxidants and it contains a great amount of vitamin C more than any other acidic food. Add to that the fact that it’s anti-aging, prevents blood clots and protects from bleeding, making it one of the healthiest ingredients to use in your Ramadan soup. Let’s check out the recipe:
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 large peeled and cut potatoes, 1/2 chopped red onion, 4 dry tomatoes, 2 cups of chicken broth, salt, pepper, 1/4 of fresh chopped cilantro, 2/3 cup of sour cream, and 5 red peppers.
Recipe: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the potatoes, onions, cilantro, and red pepper. Wait until they begin to soften then add water, broth and dried tomatoes. When all the vegetables are cooked, add the sour cream and mix it in the blender. Finally, season it with salt and pepper and it’s ready.
Spinach Soup
Just like broccoli, spinach has quite the bad rep but by merely adding just the right mix of spices and herbs, it transforms into a delicious component to any dish. The leafy green vegetable is universally classified among the healthiest foods you can eat as it is rich in vitamins, nutrients, and minerals such as Iron and Magnesium. Not only that, spinach has very low calories which make it a suitable meal for those trying to lose weight. Spinach also improves vision, treats neurological problems, and controls blood pleasure. Let’s found out how you can make this recipe:
Ingredients: 2 cups of spinach, 1 cup of chopped onions, 2 cups of heavy cream, 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, salt, pepper, 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups of water, and 3 medium potatoes (peeled and cut into chunks).
Recipe: Sauté the onion in butter in a large saucepan over medium heat for 4 minutes. Then add the potatoes, chicken broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Follow that by adding the spinach and cooking it for 2 to 4 minutes or until it’s tender. Puree the soup in a blender, return it to the pan then whisk in the heavy cream, salt and pepper. Over low heat, just before it simmers, add in the sour cream and your soup will be ready.
Whatever recipe you pick out, you won’t just benefit from the rich nutrients and minerals of each soup but by starting out with the soup, you’ll be prone to eat less during iftar and remain full for a long time. Having soup during iftar will also help quench your thirst for a longer period of time.
