Rarely do I follow a recipe to make soup. It’s literally an experiment every time, and no two batches are ever the same. I guess that’s part of the fun of cooking!
My goal when making any soup – whether it’s chili, bean soup, vegetable soup, or potato soup – is to find a clever way to sneak in extra color and nutrients by adding more vegetables. Over the years, I’ve learned that chopped zucchini is a great addition to chili and sweet potatoes and herbs add some pizzazz to plain old potato soup!
If you are currently in the midst of cancer treatment, pre-prepared soups can be an easy fix on days when you don’t have much of an appetite. They can be bland if you mouth is sore, or spicy if your tastes have dulled. You can serve them hot or cold, and if you are simply too tired to chew, you can throw them in a blender, hit the puree button, and magically have a drinkable soup on hand.
Below is my own colorful meatless chili for those done with cancer treatment, those on treatment craving spicy foods, and/or those feeling pretty well who need a punch of fiber to help get your gut moving. Make a batch in advance and freeze it in individual containers for days when you are too tired to cook.
Warning: This is not a good choice for those struggling with nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, or a sore mouth or throat.
1 large can V-8® juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1-2 Tablespoons minced garlic (buy minced in the jar)
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can white beans, rinsed
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1-2 cans diced tomatoes, plain or with jalapenos (as desired)
Warm vegetable juice in large soup pan over low heat. In separate pan, sauté onion and zucchini in olive oil until tender. Add in garlic and stir. Add all ingredients to vegetable juice. Add chili powder, parsley, salt, pepper, and/or hot pepper sauce, as desired. Simmer over low-medium heat for 45-60 minutes and serve.
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