Today's post is all about convenience. I like to cook most dinners from scratch, but I really can't stand all that chopping of vegetables in the middle of the day! So at lunch, I usually have some kind of leftovers. But yesterday, I dove into the pantry and discovered a forgotten case of Amy's Lentil Soup.
Canned soup has pluses and minuses. Of course, it is very convenient. That's a big plus. But most canned soups are fairly to ridiculously high in sodium. And most are also fairly low in protein. So before you rush out and buy cases of soup, make sure you read the nutrition labels carefully. I like Amy's Organic Soups because they are free from all preservatives and additives. Trader Joe's also makes their own natural soups which are very good.
In order to transform your canned soup into a balanced Zone meal, you are going to have to make some additions. Although my lentil soup was pretty high in carbs, I decided to add some frozen spinach to up the nutritional content. The soup already had carrots, onions, and potatoes. And my soup was also low in protein, so I added about 3 oz. roasted leg of lamb which was leftover from our seder. I particularly like the combination of lamb and lentils.
Another excellent and easy way to add both nutritional value and taste to canned soups is to sprinkle in a few dashes of ground or dried spices. I added tumeric, ginger, and garam masala (an Indian spice mixture) to my lentil soup. A sprinkle of fresh herbs, such as cilantro or parsley would also be fantastic.
Check your pantry and see what treasures are hiding back there! Then dust them off and experiment with a few key additions to make a super fast, Zone-compliant lunch! Let me know if you discover some delicious combinations.
Canned soup has pluses and minuses. Of course, it is very convenient. That's a big plus. But most canned soups are fairly to ridiculously high in sodium. And most are also fairly low in protein. So before you rush out and buy cases of soup, make sure you read the nutrition labels carefully. I like Amy's Organic Soups because they are free from all preservatives and additives. Trader Joe's also makes their own natural soups which are very good.
In order to transform your canned soup into a balanced Zone meal, you are going to have to make some additions. Although my lentil soup was pretty high in carbs, I decided to add some frozen spinach to up the nutritional content. The soup already had carrots, onions, and potatoes. And my soup was also low in protein, so I added about 3 oz. roasted leg of lamb which was leftover from our seder. I particularly like the combination of lamb and lentils.
Another excellent and easy way to add both nutritional value and taste to canned soups is to sprinkle in a few dashes of ground or dried spices. I added tumeric, ginger, and garam masala (an Indian spice mixture) to my lentil soup. A sprinkle of fresh herbs, such as cilantro or parsley would also be fantastic.
Check your pantry and see what treasures are hiding back there! Then dust them off and experiment with a few key additions to make a super fast, Zone-compliant lunch! Let me know if you discover some delicious combinations.
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