Soup

[domestic goddess]

On another thread, I was complaining (as usual) about the sheer amounts of food that my dsil can sometimes eat. He does construction work, and can get very hungry. lessisbest suggested adding a soup course to our meals. I have been thinking a lot about that. But in my family, we never really ate first course type soups. We like filling, hearty soups that are a meal in themselves. I guess I could use some of those, but in smaller portions? Of course, French onion soup, tomato bisque and some others are pretty commonly found recipes. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Do you have recipes you would be willing to share? DSIL will work off about any amount of calories, provided I allow him to live long enough (just kidding, I think!). I had a recipe for a garlic-onion soup that I often used when we were sick. I no longer have the book it was in, but I'm sure I can find a similar recipe somewhere.
Anyway, for those who wonder if anyone actually pays attention to things said on the boards, I DO! Sometimes I'm a little slow on the uptake, but I do think about what I read here, and there is a lot of thought-provoking stuff here. Thanks!

[Float On]

I think any cream based soups would make a good filling first course for a construction type of guy needing a lot of calories - potato, bean, cream of broccoli, corn chowder, etc. Cornbread is also more filling than a lot of other breads.

[catherine]

I just made a hearty vegetarian chili, which I eat with basmati rice. It's definitely a meal in itself, and very cheap. I'm estimating $7 for about 12 servings.

[sweetana3]

Delicate broth based soups dont do much to fill a big guy with a hard job as others have said.. Thick soups with protein and carbs as others have mentioned are good. Bean soups with added things like Kielbasa are really warm and filling. Chili with loads of beans help to stretch budget and fill up a hungry person.

[JaneV2.0]

I like to make chicken gumbo soup with lots of chicken, okra, onions, tomatoes, peppers, and garlic in homemade stock.

[Birdie]

Split pea soup and winter squash soup are two of my favorites.

[TxZen]

Good old navy bean soup. I just saute up some carrots, cut up small, onion and a little bit of bacon. Add 1 can vegetable broth, 2 cans of navy beans, drained and rinsed, black pepper, a little garlic powder and some rosemary. Simmer for 20 minutes. I let it cool and sit over night. Next day, I add a little water and heat up. YUM!!

[lessisbest]

If you use homemade bone broth rich with gelatin, or add gelatin to the soup, the additional protein will help, and it is a relatively inexpensive way to add protein to your diet. I even add gelatin to hot cocoa. Just sipping on a cup of rich bone broth is one of the best thing we can eat before a meal. Serve more cottage cheese. It's an inexpensive protein and 1/2 c. = 14 g. protein. Check out "Ten Health Benefits of Gelatin" http://healthmad.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-gelatin/

The next thing is to add a lot of fiber to the soup and/or the meal in order to fill full longer. Eat whole fruits and vegetables. I add hi-maize resistant starch (http://www.hi-maize.com/Himaize/USA/Home) to our morning smoothie and many of the bake goods I make (1 T. = 5.5 g. fiber). I get hi-maize resistant starch from Honeyville Grain. I use coconut flour in baked goods, 1/4 c. = 14 g. of fiber. Chia seeds and flaxseed meal are other good add-ins. Chia seeds have 11 g. fiber per ounce.

Make sure you have a good balance between protein (meat) and "good" fat. Some fat in your diet helps keep you satisfied longer than eating empty carbohydrates.

Slow down.... Most people eat way too fast and then eat more food than they really need.

[wren]

I just made a hearty vegetarian chili, which I eat with basmati rice. It's definitely a meal in itself, and very cheap. I'm estimating $7 for about 12 servings.

We love this combination, too.

Other suggestions:
- Beef Barley Soup, (ground beef, onion, tomato sauce, pot barley, salt + pepper) served with rolls or biscuits

- Lentil Soup or Stew (onions, garlic, lentils, rice, cubed potato, canned tomato, green beans, celery, spiced with cumin.)

- Minestrone Soup (lentils, small pasta shells, chopped bacon or ham, canned tomato, chopped carrot, onion, garlic, celery, basil, oregano, ground cumin, black pepper).

[wren]

Make sure you have a good balance between protein (meat) and "good" fat. Some fat in your diet helps keep you satisfied longer than eating empty carbohydrates.

Slow down.... Most people eat way too fast and then eat more food than they really need.

These are excellent points, lessisbest! I make notes from many of your posts, they are so informative. As the OP said, there is much to learn, on these boards.

When I made bone broth from scratch, I ended up with quite a lot of extra marrow fat, which I have saved in the freezer. I am wondering what is the best way to use it? Sorry if this is off topic.

[Zoe Girl]

i agree with so many here, i go to lentil soup all the time. i use some chili powder, touch of cayenne and cumin with onion, celery and carrot. i have added potato and sweet potato and/kale as well. Lots of spice for lentils for my taste

[lessisbest]

I found this list in my "Book of Odd Knowledge II".

10 Most Filling Foods

1. baked potato

2. bean soup (add beans to everything)

3. eggs (add vegetables for high-fiber volume)

4. Greek Yogurt (double protein and less sugar than regular yogurt)

5. apples (contain pectin which naturally slows digestion and promotes a full feeling) [lessisbest note: There is a diet where you eat an apple before each meal to control your appetite. You could also serve a Waldorf Salad as a start to the meal.]

6. popcorn (90 calories in 3 c. of air-popped popcorn - sprinkle on some red pepper [lessisbest note: 1/2 t. of red pepper added to a meal to feel less hungry. I add red pepper flakes to a number of vegetable dishes - it's not just for pizza. ;)]

7. figs

8. oatmeal (add some almonds for additional protein)

9. wheat berries [lessisbest note: there are so many ways to incorporate cooked or sprouted wheat berries in your diet.]

10. smoothies (especially if you add gelatin or protein powder, kefir or yogurt, for a shot of protein)

[lessisbest]

These are excellent points, lessisbest! I make notes from many of your posts, they are so informative. As the OP said, there is much to learn, on these boards.

When I made bone broth from scratch, I ended up with quite a lot of extra marrow fat, which I have saved in the freezer. I am wondering what is the best way to use it? Sorry if this is off topic.

Marrow was a "treat" when I was growing up and we spread it on bread. This link has a classy way of serving it on toast. http://www.thehungrymouse.com/2010/02/17/roasted-marrow-bones/

This was in the comments at the link from Nicole: "...Marrow bones are extremely healthy for you, contain so many fat soluble vitamins, plus minerals, gelatin and wholesome cholesterol and fat to keep you strong and healthy. Human beings have thrived on such foods for thousands of years. Perhaps recently in the past few generations, it has been marketed into our minds that we are better off consuming an industrial era invention of oils. Check out Nourishing Traditions or similar."

[domestic goddess]

Wow! Great ideas and information here! Thank you all so much, and don't stop now!! DSIL has been really subdued at mealtimes lately; he had a tooth pulled a couple of days ago, and hasn't gotten over it yet. We should be back to normal by next week sometime. At least, I really hope we will.

[Packy]

Pizza, and Rotisserie Chicken. You could prolly make soup out of leftover pizza n' chikkin. Awesome. Hope that is what you want to hear. Thank Mee

[Blackdog Lin]

domestic goddess: if I understand correctly, it's just DSIL that you need to worry about "filling up", right? That your menus are adequate for the appetites of the rest of the family?

Maybe, based on lessisbest's info, you could just add a little something to DSIL's menu every night, just for him beside his plate. A half a large baked potato, or a large cup of a hearty bean or other soup, or a bowl of baked beans, the soup and beans that you could make a batch of for him once a week and have on hand.....then you could stick to your regular menus, and just serve him his "filler" with his meal every night. Seems like the rest of the family wouldn't mind, just a case of DSIL being the hungry one, and it would be a fairly easy and thrifty way to fill him up without messing with your meal planning.

[iris lilies]

Each year we have a small fundraiser in our neighborhood called "Souper Sunday." We bring a cup or bowl, a spoon, and $10.00.

The businesses around our neighborhood make various soups and dole them out into our bowls, as much as we like (until it runs out) for $10. the money goes toward the neighborhood's Business Association to run a holiday event and to put up banners, etc.

It's a cute idea.

[iris lilies]

Marrow was a "treat" when I was growing up and we spread it on bread. This link has a classy way of serving it on toast. http://www.thehungrymouse.com/2010/02/17/roasted-marrow-bones/

This was in the comments at the link from Nicole: "...Marrow bones are extremely healthy for you, contain so many fat soluble vitamins, plus minerals, gelatin and wholesome cholesterol and fat to keep you strong and healthy. Human beings have thrived on such foods for thousands of years. Perhaps recently in the past few generations, it has been marketed into our minds that we are better off consuming an industrial era invention of oils. Check out Nourishing Traditions or similar."

The high end restaurant up the street from us served marrow on toast for an appetizer. They were Belgian cuisine.

[Tiam]

The high end restaurant up the street from us served marrow on toast for an appetizer. They were Belgian cuisine.


Peasant food. People who had no money for anything except a soup bone used to eat that. Funny.

[domestic goddess]

Blackdog Lin, yes, dsil is the always hungry one. And if I don't do something about it, he raids the fridge and the cabinets, and eats things I have planned for other meals. It never occurs to him to ask if he can eat something; the idea of planning meals apparently doesn't occur to him. In fact, I think he just ate part of tomorrow's breakfast. Sometimes the kids are picky, though, and if I make a pot of soup, that could substitute for something they don't like, too. But it isn't that meals are too small; if he weren't here, we would probably get 2 meals from each one now.
We haven't had internet for several days, so am glad to get back and read everyone's ideas.

[profnot]

You could keep a slow cooker going with chili, chowder, bean soup, etc, so he could help himself after school. Leave bread, fruit, and hard boiled eggs on the counter. Tell him to stay out of the frig and cupboards.

A gal told me she had a friend put hardware and a padlock on her fridge when her boys were teenagers. She was the only person who knew the combination.

[seedycharacter]

Protein is supposed to help with satiety . . . simple carbs tend to create cravings . . . I agree that sticking beans in everything may fill that boy up without bankrupting you! Bean dip, chili beans, beans in soups. Apples with nut butters for snacks . . . good luck. I survived having two 6'2" teenage boys (along with their friends since I lived 1 block from the high school)--lots of hearty soups and stews.