Warming Winter Soups & Stew
Courtney Carter
/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2024

Warming Winter Soups & Stew

One-pot wonders: Nutritious homemade soups and stew to warm your body and soul

Winter is the perfect time to cozy up to a warm bowl of soup or stew. As easy to make as they are to love, homemade soups are a delicious way to get your daily dose of fresh veggies and beans, all with much lower salt content than store-bought options.


Hearty Lentil & Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 cup lentils, rinsed

1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz., no salt added)

6 cups vegetable broth

2 cups chopped kale or spinach

Salt & pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes.

2. Stir in garlic, cumin, paprika, and thyme. Cook for another minute.

3. Add lentils, diced tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Stir in kale or spinach and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Serve warm.

 

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup wild rice, rinsed

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or low-fat milk)

 

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes.

2. Add garlic, thyme, and black pepper. Stir for another minute.

3. Pour in broth and add wild rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 35 minutes.

4. Add chicken and simmer for another 15 minutes, until chicken is cooked.

5. Remove chicken, shred it, and return to the pot. Stir in almond milk

6. Serve warm.

 

Spiced Sweet Potato & Black Bean Stew

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 can black beans (15 oz., drained & rinsed)

1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz.)

4 cups vegetable broth

Salt & pepper to taste

Fresh cilantro for garnish

 

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 3-4 minutes.

2. Stir in cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Cook for 1 minute.

3. Add sweet potatoes, black beans, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil.

4. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes, until sweet potatoes are soft.

5. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

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COVID-19 in Pets

News of COVID-19 spreading to animals is causing understandable concern for pet owners, especially those who love their pets like family. While the virus is thought to have originated in animals, there is currently no evidence that pets can spread COVID-19 to humans. There is some evidence that people can spread it to their pets and pets can spread it to each other.

The good news is that the risk of spreading COVID-19 to pets still seems relatively low. Only a handful of confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been identified in animals worldwide. Nonetheless, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with their veterinary colleagues to learn more. In the meantime, it makes sense to adapt the people-centered recommendations for our furry friends.

Here's a pet-specific refresher to help further decrease the already low odds that your pet will become infected.

  • Just like people, cats and dogs should decrease their movement outside the home. So if you usually let your dog or cat roam in ways that could bring them into contact with other people or animals, it would be best to discontinue that practice for as long as human restrictions are in place.
  • When you take your dog for a walk, keep him or her leashed and keep at least 6 feet from others whenever possible. (Dogs cannot wear masks comfortably as humans can, so remaining distant is even more important for them.)
  • If someone in the house is ill, they should be isolated from both other people and animals in a "sick room," if possible. The ill person should wear a mask when near the pet and others and avoid direct contact, including petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked, sleeping in the same location, and sharing food or bedding.
  • To keep pets and themselves safe, people should wash their hands before and after handling or caring for their pets, just as they would after having come in contact with another person or a surface that a person could have touched.
  • If your pet becomes ill with COVID-19 symptoms—including coughing, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, lethargy, sneezing, nasal discharge, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever—call your veterinarian, who will advise regarding testing and care and determine whether your state's public health veterinarian should be notified.

More information about protecting your pets from COVID-19, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/animals.html.

Donna Barron, RN, is the infection preventionist at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.

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