Healthy Easy Stocks, Soups and Sauce Bases Recipes

(i) Simple Homemade Stocks

Nowadays many groceries carry a wide variety of fresh, organic and dried stocks, perhaps the best being bouillon, a high-quality form of stock (available in powder or liquid form) which can be added to any dish. Alternatively, home cooks can easily reach beyond commercially available bouillon cubes to acquire quality, low fat soup bases by preparing their own in bulk at home. If you try making your own stocks at home, you'll probably never go back and rely on store-bought stocks.

Economical homemade stocks are not only easy, healthy, inexpensive and versatile, it also elevates the flavors and enhances tastes of the dishes, be it added to the soups, stews, sauces, stir-fries, casseroles, pies, rice (or risotto) or even baby foods, without adding unnecessary salt, MSG or artificial additives. You can also perk up the flavor to your daily dishes by substituting stock for water in cooking. By using stock for sautéing and stir-fries instead of greasy oils or fat, it will save a lot of fat and calories which will turn your daily dishes into more healthier foods.

More about Cooking Tips and Guides for Homemade Stocks

(ii) Simple Low-Fat Soups

Soups are appealing in so many ways because they are versatile, easy to prepare and are full of flavor and goodness, making them a nutritious and satisfying choice. Soups can be served as a starter, a light meal or as a snack, and the more substantial hearty soups can be served as a meal in themselves.

Rich and warming soups are ideal for chilly autumnal or wintry days, chilled soups are perfect for summer dining al fresco, wholesome soups are a good choice for a filling lunch or supper, and light, delicate soups provide an appetizing starter for a dinner party or family celebration.

Easy Homemade Soups

Soups can be made using many different ingredients and are perfect for making the most of seasonal ingredients. Typically, most soups are savory, but some (often sweet) fruit-based soups are also popular in some countries. When making soup, a good-quality, well-flavored stock is key to creating a really delicious soup.

Some soups are served chunky-style, while many are served all or partly-puréed, so when making soup at home, a blender, liquidizer or food processor or a hand-held/stick blender) will prove to be a real bonus. A large, preferably heavy-based, saucepan is also ideal for cooking soup.

Small dumplings and small pasta (known as pastina or 'soup pasta') add substance to some soups, and ground almonds or oatmeal can be stirred into soup to thicken, enrich and add flavor and texture.

Many soups freeze well, providing an ideal stand-by for when you have less time to prepare and cook a meal. Single servings of soup can also be frozen in small individual containers for convenience. Simply remove the soup from the freezer and defrost it, then reheat it gently, but thoroughly, until hot.

Croûtons & Other Soup Accompaniments

Plenty of fresh crust bread or bread rolls, served warm or cold, is often the only accompaniment a soup needs, but alternative choices such as croûtons, melba toast, bruschetta and garlic bread will equally enhance even the simplest of soups.

Croûton (small cubes of crisp, golden fried bread) add a lovely finishing touch to a wide variety of puréed soups, adding extra flavor, crunch and appeal. Croûtons can be made from many types of plain bread, including white whole meal or granary, as well as from flavored breads such as sun-dried tomato, olive, herb or cheese breads.

Bread slices can also be cut into different mini shapes rather than small squares to make the croûtons more attractive. Try tossing the hot croûtons in chopped fresh herbs or freshly grated Parmesan, or sprinkle them with grounds spices to add extra flavor and appeal.

Garnishing Soup

Garnishes provide the decorative finishing touch to many soups and they should look attractive and complement the flavors of the soup. A sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley or snipped fresh chives may be all that is required. A swirl or two of cream, crème fraîche or plain yogurt in the centre of each serving looks lovely, especially if it is then feathered with a cocktail stick or skewer. Top with a scattering of finely chopped spring onion, crispy bacon bits or a sprinkling of paprika, chili powder or black peppers to add the finishing touch.

Small sprigs of fresh herbs such as thyme, basil, rosemary or watercress sprigs also look great. A light sprinkling of finely grated or thinly shaved hard cheese such as fresh Parmesan or Cheddar, or a little crumbled blue cheese, adds extra delicious flavor to many soups.

For a slightly more elaborate garnish, top each portion with a spoonful of pesto or herb pistou (similar to pesto) – ideal for tomato or vegetable soups – and swirl it in just before serving. A drizzle of olive, chili or sesame oil works really well as a garnish on some soups and thinly pared fruit zests such as shreds of oranges or lemon suit other soups.

(iii) Simple Homemade Sauce Bases

Always opt for fresh herbs and spices to enhance the taste of homemade dishes during home cooking. This would reduce the inclination to buy ready-made sauces which often contain large amounts of sugar and additives.

A good quality passata sauce, canned plum tomatoes, green or red pesto, tapenade, mustard, anchovies, roasted red pepper sauce and sun-dried tomato puree can act as the base or foundation for any sauce. These sauce ingredients are particularly flavorsome and have very distinctive tastes.
Oriental flavors offer a lot of scope where low fat cooking is concerned. Flavorings such as fish sauce, soy sauce and Chinese rice wine offer low fat and tasty flavors to the dishes it is cooked with.

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