Soups

In my family, soups are prepared only when a person falls sick. Soup is considered a light and nutritious meal to aid the person's recovery. After the person is up and active soup is not in his/her diet anymore. It need not be so.

Soup can be a part of our diet as a snack or main course, when more thick grains or grain derivatives are thrown in.

Veg Dal soup

Any lentils like Toor dal or chenna dal can be added with vegetable to get a thick soup. Wheat flour can be added to thicken the soup, if it is thin.

Broccoli Soup

Broccoli's are rich in fiber and nutritious. Broccoli along with tomatoes, onion, garlic and ginger can be cooked to form a thick soup. You can add some Moong dal for thickness

Soyabean curd Soup

Thick slabs of processed and hardened soya bean milk is available in stores. It is called 'Tau' in Chinese language. Bean curd is very soft and does not require to be cooked with a pressure cooker. Slices of bean curd can be added to any vegetable soup base to enhance the taste and flavor.

Tomato Soup

Tomatoes are omnipresent in our diet and to reap the nutritional benefits of this vegetable, we can also take it as a soup. To enhance the taste, ginger or garlic can be added when cooking tomato.

Greens Soup

Greens can be boiled to extract their soup.









 

Simple herbal drinks

Dried herbs and other condiments in the kitchen have immense medicinal value and can be taken daily for gaining nutrition and enhancing the metabolism, which in turn will help to burn the accumulated calories. It is best to take these drinks early in the morning with an empty stomach.

Cumin Water
Water boiled with dried cumin seeds can be taken after draining the cumin.

Cumin Water

Fenugreek Water
Water boiled with dried fenugreek seeds can be taken after draining the seeds.

Fenugreek water

Cinnamon water
Cinnamon sticks or powder can be added to warm water. Strain the water and drink it.

Flax seed water
Water that is boiled with flax seed, can be taken after straining the flax seed. Instead of the seed, flax powder can also be used.

Turmeric water
Turmeric powder has medicinal qualities. It can be mixed and taken with boiled water.

Turmeric water

Curry leaf water
Fresh curry leaves in boiled water have immense medicinal qualities and can be taken. Curry leaf water also tend to create excessive farting and must be taken with caution.

Mint Water
A handful of mint leaves that are de-stemmed are be boiled in  water for a few minutes. Strain the leaves and drink the water.

Tulsi water
Tulsi leaves are to be de-stemmed and boiled. The boiled water can then be strained and taken.

Lime with honey
Fresh lime squeezed and mixed with water and honey.

Ginger Water
Dry or fresh ginger is to be diced and boiled with water. After few minutes, strain the ginger and drink the water. Ginger is very effective in clearing flatulence and may cause to fart frequently, hence this water is to be taken with caution if there is a disposition to bloat.

Gooseberry juice
Fresh gooseberry or the dried powdered form can be boiled with water to obtain gooseberry juice.

Boiled Rice Water
Left over boiled rice can be soaked in water overnight. Next morning, the water that stays on top can be taken.

Butter milk
The digestive values of  buttermilk are well known and can be  taken through out the day.

Butter milk