Nourishing soup recipes

WildRosie

I need some nourishing soup recipes for a cancer patient with difficulty swallowing. The must be thin, smooth and not too strongly flavoured. Ideally high in protein and calories but low in volume. I've been making potato, leek and chicken but need some other ideas. We have nutrional supplements to fortify it with but still need some variety as soup is now his main diet. If anyone has any suggestions I'd be very grateful.

Alun

Carrot, parsnip, butternut squash, broccoli, cauliflower or combinations thereof. Many of these I'd normally add spices to, but you can leave them out no bother.

Basic recipe for any of these would be to sweat onion, potato and maybe garlic with the chopped up vegetables in some oil and/or butter for a few mins, add some stock, simmer (not boil!) for 15-20 mins until soft, and then blend and season.

If the soup ends up too thick, simply add more stock after blending.

WildRosie

Thanks, hadn't thought of butternut squash. I might try something with that as I find it quite mild in flavour but still satisfying and he might enjoy it. Would you have any ideas of how to get meat or other sources of protein into soup? I've bought a packet of hemp as it says it's high in protein but unsure of how well it would blend down.

Dizzyblonde

WildRosie, this thread might do much better in the Nutrition & Diet forum. Would you like it moved?

WildRosie

Yes please, I didn't realise there was such a forum

Dizzyblonde

Done - and I'm sure the nice people in here will be better able to advise you.


Moved from Cooking & Recipes.

Roesy

Would lentils be an option. They are a good source of protein and make a nice addition to soup. Not sure how well they blend though.

Alun

For protein content, I'd say maybe think in the direction of peas, beans or lentils. You could add tinned cannelini beans, say, to a squash or pumpkin soup. You might still get some pieces of skin from the beans remaining in there even after blending, so if that would be a problem for them, then put it through a sieve first. Same for lentils, although they can be a bit meh without any spices though.

WildRosie

Lentils wouldn't really be great to be honest, they cause a fair amount of gas which he has problems with already and causes a lot of pain and sometimes vomiting.

Would there be anything I could do with round steak mince? Has anyone tried making a blended soup with it before? I had been making a casserole with rib steak, then blending it and watering it down, but his oesophagus is closing up and since last week he hasn't been able to tolerate it.

JimsAlterEgo

you could always add one of the sun warrior natural protein powders, a little at a time to watch for a reaction

http://www.sunwarrior.ie/