Low-Cost Mexican Veggie Soup
One of my assignments for school this week was to come up with a recipe that was nutrient-dense but low cost. When I read the assignment I thought to myself: This is what I do every week!
I proceeded to walked over to my pantry and looked and what I had, then did the same thing in the fridge. I found a few cans of beans and some leftover chopped veggies from earlier meal prep. Yep, that’s enough. I just need to add in a few more veggies and some spices, and I won’t need much else!
There is something so empowering about cooking a large meal and feeding a group of people for just a few dollars, as well as using what you have in the pantry. I feel like a lot of people have “pantry staples”, but never put them to use!
This soup cost me a total of $25 dollars, even shopping in the organic section. It is tasty, lovely, and wholesome. I will continue to cook soups until it finally starts to stay warmer (although I love a good warm soup any time of the year!). This recipe also takes no time to prepare at all!
The only thing I didn’t add to the cost of this soup was the leftover greens from the bottom of cauliflower. The bottom leaves and stems of cauliflower are amazing greens that are just as useful as the top florets and should not be wasted!
Ingredients:
2 large zucchinis, sliced into 1/2 cubes
2 orange bell peppers, seeded and chopped
3 large yellow (or any color) carrots, diced into small pieces
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Leftover greens from cauliflower bunch
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon oregano
2 teaspoons chili powder
Canned no-salt added diced tomatoes
Canned no-salt added black beans, rinsed and drained
Canned no-salt added pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
Avocado for serving
Recipe:
Chop all veggies and herbs so they’re ready to go.
Add oil to a large pot on medium-high heat, then add the veggies and spices.
Stir every 3-5 minutes for about 15 minutes, covering with the lid between stirring.
Add in 4 cups of water and bring to a boil.
Once at a boil, turn down to low heat and add in the beans and tomatoes.
Right before serving, add in cilantro (I use the entire bunch because I’m a cilantro addict, but feel free to use as much as you’d like)
Serve hot and top with avocado. This soup is GREAT for leftovers for up to 3 days!
For my nutrition junkies…
Beans: Beans are one of the best plant based sources of protein, and also pack a ton of fiber. While cooked beans end up being a bit cheaper than canned, you save on convenience with canned beans, and they are just as healthy as beans that you cook from scratch (1), minus all the salt that is added to them that can contribute to increased blood pressure. Try to buy beans that don’t have any added salt in them (you can always add salt in at the end of the meal). One study found that eating half a cup a day of cooked pinto beans for two months may drop cholesterol levels by 19 points (2). Increasing legume consumption has also been found to be the “most important predictor of survival in older people”, with an 8% reduction in premature death across different ethnicities for every twenty gram increase in daily legume intake (3). If you don’t eat a lot of fiber or beans, it’s really important to slowly start to increase them into your diet to avoid excess symptoms of gas/bloating. However, your microbiome DOES adjust to this, and it usually passes within 2-3 weeks and the benefits are beyond worth the transition period.
Plant based protein: I’ve been on a Simon Hill kick this week, and I listened to a podcast (a few times, actually) further discussing how proteins are broken down into amino acids by our body to compliment what I have already learned in school. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and there are 11 nonessential amino acids (your body can make them so it’s not essential that you obtain them in your diet) and there are 9 essential amino acids (your body cannot make them and are must be consumed in the diet). It used to be thought that plant based foods are missing essential amino acids, but this is not true. You can still acquire all of the essential amino acids and build protein in the body by consuming no animal protein at all. It’s also important to remember that when broken down into amino acids, the body doesn’t know whether that came from an animal or a black bean! The body will still use that amino acid for building protein in the body. You can find this podcast here.
Bell Peppers: Bell peppers are a great source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Folate, three vitamins that help with eye function, immune health, and reduction of cardiovascular disease and cancer due to their high antioxidant content, including beta-carotene and lycopene (4). According this study looking at antioxidant activity, on average, red bell peppers show higher activity, followed by green, orange, and finally yellow (4). Orange bell peppers in particular are very high, in lycopene, which is associated with eye health (5). Be sure to buy organic bell peppers, as they are a part of the dirty dozen. The EWG estimates that you can reduce your pesticide exposure by 80% if you simply buy the dirty dozen fruits and veggies organic, since they contain the most pesticide residue.
Carrots: carrots are most known for their benefit to eye health due to their high beta-carotene content (the precursor to Vitamin A). Vitamin A is also essential for hair and skin health, and also detoxifies the liver and helps remove toxins from the blood (5). Carrots are also a great source of Vitamins B1, B2, B6, B7 (biotin), Vitamin C, calcium, potassium, fiber, and iron (5) (need I say more?! - also, did you know that you need Vitamin C to absorb iron in the gut?), all of which are going to help you have glowing skin and hair and give you more energy!
References:
1) Greger M, Stone G. How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease. London: Pan Books; 2018.
2) Winham DM, Hutchins AM, Johnston CS. Pinto bean consumption reduces biomarkers for heart disease risk. J Am Coll Nutr. 2007;26(3):243-249. doi:10.1080/07315724.2007.10719607
3) Darmadi-Blackberry I, Wahlqvist ML, Kouris-Blazos A, et al. Legumes: the most important dietary predictor of survival in older people of different ethnicities. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2004;13(2):217-220.
4) Chávez-Mendoza C, Sanchez E, Muñoz-Marquez E, Sida-Arreola JP, Flores-Cordova MA. Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity in Different Grafted Varieties of Bell Pepper. Antioxidants (Basel). 2015;4(2):427-446. Published 2015 Jun 23. doi:10.3390/antiox4020427
5) Snyder K. The Beauty Detox Foods: Discover the Top 50 Beauty Foods That Will Transform Your Body and Reveal a More Beautiful You. North Sydney, NSW: Harlequin Enterprises; 2013.