La Vita Organica - 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Soup

January 11, 2017

Happy National Soup Month! This hot, quick, healthy and versatile meal packs in a lot of health benefits -- it's no wonder there's a whole month dedicated to it! Learn more about the many health benefits of soup:

1. Vegetables - Soups are welcome to almost any vegetable. Since the American Heart Association recommends adults consume a little less than 5 cups of vegetables a day -- why not eat those vegetables in a delicious soup that's packed with flavor?

2. Low Fat - You can use fat-free broths, lean meat, and low fat milk to make it a low fat yet high fiber option.

3. Low Calories - Soups contain mostly water, which fills you up with fewer calories. High volume and low calories!

4. Leftovers - Yes, we love the leftovers! Make a big pot and eat it all week, or use your soup as a broth in a different recipe. You can throw your ingredients into a slow cooker before work and arrive with a week full of healthy meals! So it's not only delicious, it's affordable!

5. Warm and Comforting - It's important to mention this, because on a cold January night, what better meal to warm you up? We recommend warming up our Organico Bello Kale Tomato Basil for a quick comfort meal.

Even more good soup news? Here's an article that proves that vegetable soups fight cell damage and relieve stress! https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/food-thought/vegetable-soup-fights-cell-damage

We hope you're inspired to start the new year with a delicious, warm, comforting, and downright healthy bowl of soup!

Chef Neil's Pasta e Fagiole recipe:

photo by Amber DeGrace, courtesy of Flickr.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup Organico Bello Tomato Basil

3 cups cooked cannellini beans with cooking liquid

8 ounces rigatoni

1/3 cup Pecorino Romano, grated

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Preparation:

1. In a large saucepan, combine olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. When the garlic begins to color, crush the tomatoes into the pot using a wooden spoon.

2. Add salt and continue to crush the tomatoes. Increase the heat and let the tomatoes sizzle for about 5 minutes.

3. Add the beans and their liquid and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta until it is al dente. Drain, but reserve 2 cups of the cooking water.

5. Stir the pasta into the bean and tomato broth, increase the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, until pasta is tender (it should be past al dente). Stir in the pasta water until the soup reaches a creamy consistency.

6. Add salt and pepper to taste and ladle into bowls. Top with Pecorino Romano.