The beauty of making soup is that it can help you with increasing the fiber in your diet.

Did you know that there are many studies on the fact that people who eat soup are thinner?

Why not give soup a try.

Veggie Soup with Split peas and beans

Some recipes that are good and packed with protein include adding grains, legumes and beans.
Here is a recipe for a great veggie soup with kidney beans, split peas and kale.

For many people who are sodium restricted, making your own soup is a very good idea because you alone control the amount of salt you put in. And there are many different kinds of spices that you can use in a recipe that perk up the flavor without adding any salt.

For most of my soup recipes, I start out in a separate frying pan sprinkled with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, adding teaspoon of very finely chopped ginger, a clove of chopped garlic, and 1 small chopped white onion. I simmer for about 5 minutes and put to the side to add to my soup.

Starting the Soup

I always start out with 2 cups of tomato or V-8 juice, adding 2 cups of water or veggie broth. Remember to use the low sodium kind, especially if you are on a sodium restricted diet.

I add the onion, garlic and ginger and then I begin to add  1/2 cup raw soy beans, 1/2 cup quinoa, 1/2 cup  split peas (they need to be rinsed thoroughly for stones/bugs) first because they take about 1/2 hour to cook. After the grains, legumes and soy beans are almost done, I begin to add my other veggies such as 2 cups fresh kale, 1 cup frozen corn, 1 can of kidney beans, rinsed well.

Simmer for another 30 minutes or longer depending on how you like your veggies.

Each cup of this soup is packed with fiber and protein.

Kale Chips

Crunchy like potato chips!

For an added appetizer, I also roast some kale in the oven.

Use some Canola cooking spray on a cookie sheet. Add washed and dry pieces of kale to the cookie sheet, sprinkle with garlic powder and cook in an over  350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Let set for about 5 minutes and eat as a snack or as an appetizer for your soup.