4 Healthy Soup Recipes For Winter

There’s nothing like a big bowl of soup when the weather cools down—it’s hearty, warm and satisfying. Cook a double batch, freeze the leftovers, then reheat and enjoy after a chilly workout.

Corn and Red Pepper Chowder

This healthy chowder has all the rich taste of a cream-based soup without any cream.

Ingredients
1 large sweet yellow onion, diced
2 red bell peppers (seeds removed), diced
2 T canola oil
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp fresh cracked pepper
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 16-ounce bag frozen organic corn
1 15-ounce can low-fat evaporated milk

Directions
In a large soup pot (or Dutch/French oven), heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the red pepper and sauté 10 minutes, adding the thyme, salt and pepper in the last minute. Pour in the vegetable stock and corn, stir to combine, cover and simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the evaporated milk. Using an immersion blender, blend for 1–2 minutes until the ingredients are creamy. Alternatively, let soup cool, and blend in batches in a blender.

Chicken and Quinoa Soup with Lemon and Dill

Old-fashioned chicken noodle soup gets a nutrient boost by using quinoa in place of noodles. Lemon and dill add a bright touch to a cold day.

Ingredients
1 yellow onion, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 small fennel bulb (core removed), diced
2 T canola oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp fresh cracked pepper
2 T flour
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups vegetable broth
1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded
2 bay leaves
2 cups cooked quinoa (starts as 1 cup uncooked)
¹/₃ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup fresh dill, chopped

Directions
In a large soup pot (or Dutch/French oven), heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the carrot, fennel, garlic, salt and pepper, and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for one minute. Whisk in the chicken and vegetable broth, gently scraping any bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the chicken and bay leaves and let bubble, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the quinoa and lemon juice, and let rest for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaves and stir in dill before serving or storing.

Quick Ciopinno

This seafood stew is big on flavor and protein.

Ingredients
3 shallots, diced
2 T olive oil
1 T garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp fresh cracked pepper
1 T flour
4 cups crushed tomatoes
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
2 cups white wine (Chardonnay recommended)
12 ounces halibut, cod or flounder (skin off), roughly chopped
12 extra large shrimp, peeled, tail on
1 pound mussels, rinsed
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions
In a large soup pot (or Dutch/French oven), heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt and pepper, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook for 1 more minute. Whisk in the tomatoes, clam juice and wine, and let bubble for 5 minutes until it begins to thicken. Gently stir in the fish, shrimp and mussels. Cover and cook on medium-low for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, discard mussels that didn’t open, and serve with fresh parsley over the top.

Lentil, Chard and Yam Soup

Loaded with veggies, protein and fiber, this soup is a great way to recover from a hard training session.

Ingredients
1 yellow onion, diced
2 T olive oil
2 large carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, including leaves, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp, each, fresh thyme and rosemary, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp fresh cracked pepper
6 pieces turkey bacon, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 cup brown lentils
6 cups vegetable broth
1 large yam, peeled, finely diced
6 heaping cups chard, including stalks, roughly chopped

Directions
In a large soup pot (or Dutch/French oven), heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper, and sauté another 5 minutes. Stir in the turkey bacon, and cook until it browns—about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, lentils and broth, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Add the yams and chard, cover and cook another 15–20 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Let rest off heat for 10–15 minutes before serving.

Jessica Cerra is the owner of Fit Food by Jess, a private chef and catering company in Encinitas, Calif., and the co-founder of JoJé Bar. A former professional XTERRA triathlete, Cerra now races for Twenty16 Women’s Professional Cycling Team. Find 150 more of Cerra’s recipes online at Triathlete.com/recipes.