Cold Weather Special: The Best Slimming Soup Recipes!

The snow is here, ladies, and let’s be honest — we all dream of curling up under a blanket and binge-watching our favourite series… Right? That said, there’s no way we’re reaching for the crisps, sweets, and other snacks that wreak havoc on our figure and our cellulite! To hibernate without piling on the pounds, we’ve put together some delicious soup recipes perfect for slimming down while still enjoying every spoonful.

Did you know?

We often think we’re making a smart choice when we pick up a ready-made soup at the supermarket — the packaging shows beautiful vegetables and promises a quick, easy, and light meal. But beware, ladies! If you take a closer look at the nutritional label on store-bought soups, you’ll notice they do contain vegetables — but that’s not all. Water, flavour enhancers, preservatives, colourings… and also unnecessary sugars and salt in far too large quantities! And as you know, sugar and salt are best kept to a minimum if you want to slim down and say goodbye to cellulite… The solution is simple: make your own wholesome, straightforward soups at home.

Slimming Soups: Broccoli & Turmeric

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 750g broccoli
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 onion
• 1.3 l defatted chicken stock

Method:

Start by peeling and finely slicing the onion. In a large pot, soften the onion for 5 minutes with a tablespoon of water.

Prepare the broccoli by removing the florets, then finely slice the stem into small pieces, discarding the tough parts.

Once the stock is boiling, add the stem to the pot along with the turmeric. Cover, bring back to the boil, then simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

Add the florets, cover again and simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and blend until smooth. Serve piping hot alongside a fillet of fish cooked en papillote.

Sweet Potato & Spice Soup

Ingredients:

• 500 g sweet potatoes
• 100 ml coconut milk
• 1 red pepper
• 1 onion
• 2 tsp curry powder
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• Salt, pepper

Method:

Start by preparing your vegetables. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Then peel and finely slice the onion, remove the seeds and white membranes from the pepper before dicing it.

Next, sauté the onion and diced pepper in a casserole dish with a little oil. Add the spices, the sweet potato cubes and approximately 1 litre of water. Cook for a good twenty minutes before adding the coconut milk and blending everything together.

Serve piping hot!

Thai Crab & Lemongrass Soup

Ingredients:

• 150 g crab meat
• 200 ml coconut milk
• 2 leek whites
• 1 carrot
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 lemongrass stalks
• 3 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• Fresh coriander

Method:

Start by preparing your vegetables. Peel and finely slice the garlic, leeks, carrot, and the tender parts of the lemongrass stalks. Sauté everything in a casserole dish with the oil, turmeric and grated ginger.

Then cover with a good litre of water and the vegetable stock, and bring to the boil. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes before adding the crab, coconut milk and coriander leaves.

Serve immediately — no blending needed!

Super-Simple Slimming Carrot & Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

• 500 g carrots
• 150 g red lentils
• 1 onion
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method:

Peel and slice the carrots into rounds. Finely slice the onion. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion for 3–4 minutes until soft and lightly golden.

Add the sliced carrots and red lentils to the pan, then pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the carrots and lentils are tender.

Using a hand blender, blend the soup until smooth and creamy. If you prefer a thinner consistency, simply add a little water or extra stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well before serving.