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Spring Detox: Zero-point Vegetable Soup

Published on 20 Mar 2015 |
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My name is Lynne Faubert and I’m an ex-Weight Watchers. Well, if a 3-month online membership to WW, mostly for the purpose of forcing myself to keep a daily diary, makes me an ex anything. (I switched to free Fitness Pro instead and even that, I don’t follow through.)

While my stint on WW was short-lived, along the way, I somehow managed to pick up a recipe you will find all over the web, but which I’d never heard about before. THE recipe. The zero-point vegetable soup which you can eat as much as you want because, duh, it’s zero point. No fat, no starch, a trace of protein, it has saved many a dieter who was about to perish from hunger or just nibble away weeks worth of effort and privation.

So this week, as my family tries to go back to a healthier routine — can you spell spring detox? —, I finally cooked it. And tweaked it. And served it. You can make it a healthy starter. Turn into a lunch with cheese and bread, adding “points”  obviously. Snack on it when the munchies strike. Vegetable soups of this king are great for kickstarting your metabolism, which faced with so few calories, turns to burning fat reserves instead. Sneaky. Plus it fills you up in a hurry, if not for long admittedly.

How did I tweak it, you ask? I replaced the salt with a solid tablespoon of salted herbs (maybe I need to add a homemade recipe to the blog, I use it so much) and a teaspoon of algae flake mix. Yep, algae from Varech Phare Est, a nice product from Gaspésie that adds salt edge plus vitamins and minerals. Feel free to just add salt if you don’t have a comparable product in your neck of the woods. Suggestion: Find a comparable product in your neck of the woods, stat.

So in the spirit of my new “everyday cooking series,” here’s the second soup this week alone…

 

 

    • Prep Time
    • Minutes
    • Cook Time
    • Minutes
    • Yield
    • 8
Weight Watchers Zero Point Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

  • PAM for cooking
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 2 L (8 cups) low-sodium beef broth
  • 15 ml (1 tbsp) tomato paste
  • 15 ml (1 tbsp) salted herbs*
  • 10 ml (2 tsp) algae flake mix*
  • 5 ml (1 tsp) dried basil
  • 5 ml (1 tsp) dried oregano
  • 500 ml (2 cups) green or Savoy cabbage, minced
  • 500 ml (2 cups) choice of mixed vegetables: green beans, sliced zucchini, red pepper strips, sliced tomatoes, etc.
  • Pinch of fresh ground black pepper
  • ---
  • * You can replace these with salt, that contains less vitamins and minerals though.

Instructions

  • 1. Spray a large pot with spam. Over medium-low heat, cook onion and garlic for 3-5 minutes, stirring often to avoid burning.
  • 2. Add in beef broth, tomato paste, salted herbs, algae flakes, basil, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil.
  • 3. Add cabbage, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5-10 minutes to start softening.
  • 4. Incorporate your choice of vegetables. Rectifiy seasoning and simmer 10-15 minutes more to cook until vegetables are softened but still toothsome.
  • 5. Serve as is for a healthy, zero-point snack or top with good grated cheese and croûtons if your heart desires.

Instructions

  • 1. Spray a large pot with spam. Over medium-low heat, cook onion and garlic for 3-5 minutes, stirring often to avoid burning.
  • 2. Add in beef broth, tomato paste, salted herbs, algae flakes, basil, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil.
  • 3. Add cabbage, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5-10 minutes to start softening.
  • 4. Incorporate your choice of vegetables. Rectifiy seasoning and simmer 10-15 minutes more to cook until vegetables are softened but still toothsome.
  • 5. Serve as is for a healthy, zero-point snack or top with good grated cheese and croûtons if your heart desires.
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