a steamy, soothing bowl of Soup

What could be more comforting when you have the sniffles than a warm, soothing bowl of soup? Steaming soup can chase away the chill on a frosty winter evening. Indeed, just the smell of wholesome ingredients like carrots, onions, celery, beans and chunks of your family’s favorite meats can send appetites soaring.

Fresh mushrooms add delicious flavor as well as some important vitamins and minerals to Mushroom-Chicken Soup. Mushrooms contribute about 10% of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance of riboflavin, 8% of niacin and 2% protein in each serving, all for just 14 calories.

With so much interest being focused on fiber, Italian Harvest Soup is another nutritional winner. In addition to spicy cappicola sausage, the highly touted cruciferous vegetable cabbage, is simmered in beef broth along with onion, carrots, tomatoes, green beans and mushrooms. Before serving, ladle soup into individual serving bowls, top with sliced French bread and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese.

White beans and lentils--both nutritional blockbusters--star individually in Lemon Bean Soup and Lentil Soup India. Again, wholesome powerhouses are teamed with familiar soup ingredients, as well as some traditionally Indian spices such as ginger and curry.

Any one of the selections here should bring comfort during the chilly weeks ahead. Note, however, the omission of salt amounts in two of the recipes. They must be seasoned to taste and therefore we cannot provide nutrient data. Also, to reduce the sodium content of these recipes you might try making homemade broth since the canned varieties are often high in this element.

MUSHROOM-CHICKEN SOUP

4 cups water

1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 boned and skinned chicken breast halves

1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced

1/3 cup sliced green onions

2 ounces uncooked egg noodles

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine water, broth and soy sauce in 3- to 4-quart saucepan and bring to boil. Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks and add to liquid with carrots and celery. Simmer 10 minutes.

Skim top, then add mushrooms, green onions, noodles and thyme. Simmer until noodles are cooked, about 10 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Makes 6 servings.

Note: Nutrient data is for chicken with skin on.

PER SERVING: 202 calories; 29 gm protein; 12 gm carbohydrate; 4 gm fat; 930 mg sodium; 345 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 45% Vitamin A 31% Vitamin C 08% Thiamine 13% Riboflavin 26% Niacin 62% Calcium 04% Iron 17%

ITALIAN HARVEST SOUP

1/4 pound spicy cappicola, diced

1 onion, sliced

2 carrots, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 (14 1/2-ounce) cans beef broth

1 (16-ounce) can diced tomatoes

Cayenne pepper

Salt

1/2 teaspoon ground oregano

1/2 teaspoon marjoram

1/2 teaspoon summer savory

1/2 pound green beans, trimmed

1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced

2 cups cabbage, coarsely shredded

8 thin slices French bread

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

Saute sausage, onion and carrots in oil. Stir in beef broth, tomatoes, cayenne and salt to taste, oregano, marjoram and savory and simmer 25 minutes.

Add green beans, mushrooms and cabbage and simmer 10 minutes longer. Ladle into individual heat-proof bowls. Top with 1 slice French bread and sprinkle with 1 ounce cheese. Broil 2 to 3 minutes until browned and bubbly. Makes 8 servings.

Note: Nutrient data does not include salt.

PER SERVING: 305 calories; 21 gm protein; 22 gm carbohydrate; 16 gm fat; 1,508 mg sodium; 621 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 32% Vitamin A 57% Vitamin C 45% Thiamine 15% Riboflavin 19% Niacin 19% Calcium 25% Iron 13%

LENTIL SOUP INDIA

2 cups lentils, rinsed and drained

2 1/2 quarts water

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup finely diced celery

1 cup finely diced carrots

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon powdered ginger

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Combine lentils, water, onions, celery, carrots, oil, ginger, curry powder and salt. Simmer until lentils are tender and soup has thickened, about 45 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Garnish each serving with egg and parsley. Makes 8 servings.

PER SERVING: 232 calories; 14 gm protein; 33 gm carbohydrate; 5 gm fat; 592 mg sodium; 549 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 22% Vitamin A 46% Vitamin C 14% Thiamine 14% Riboflavin 10% Niacin 06% Calcium 07% Iron 21%

LEMON BEAN SOUP

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

3 cups drained, cooked white beans

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Combine broth, carrots, celery, lemon juice and peel in saucepan. Simmer, covered, until carrots are tender-crisp. Stir in beans, parsley and pepper. Heat thoroughly. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING: 225 calories; 18 gm protein; 37 gm carbohydrate; 1 gm fat; 1,513 mg sodium; 994 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 28% Vitamin A 43% Vitamin C 16% Thiamine 15% Iron 36% Riboflavin 10% Niacin 18% Calcium 11%