Each year starts off with National Soup Month, and Great Care is a big fan of healthy recipes that warm the body and soul during the cold winter days.

Campbell’s leads the charge in celebrating National Soup Month in January with ideas for ladling up goodness all month long. Their wide range of soup choices are available for ease and convenience as already prepared, but their website also provides homemade recipes using Swanson Chicken Broth for soup as good as Mom used to make.

Try this recipe for a savory, low-calorie tomato-barley soup that’s healthy to eat and easy to prepare.

Roasted Tomato and Barley Soup
Roasting the tomatoes, garlic and onions makes this soup especially flavorful. After the veggies are roasted, all you need is 40 minutes and you’ve got a robust, rustic-style soup.

Ingredients
2 cans (about 14.5 ounces each ) diced tomatoes, drained, reserving juice
2 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups Swanson Chicken Broth or Swanson Certified Organic Chicken Broth or Swanson® Natural Goodness Chicken Broth
2 stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions
1. Heat the oven to 425°F.
2. Place the tomatoes, onions and garlic into a large roasting pan. Drizzle the oil over the vegetables and toss to coat. Roast for 25 minutes.
3. Place the vegetables into a 3-quart saucepan. Stir in the reserved tomato juice, broth, celery and barley and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low.
4. Cover and cook for 35 minutes or until the barley is tender. Stir in the parsley.

Serving Tips
Serve with multi-grain flatbread crackers and cheddar cheese. For dessert, serve peach and blueberry crumble.

The Mayo Clinic’s Chef Dan Abraham created this winter soup featuring butternut squash, fresh spinach, carrots, sage and garlic for the Healthy Living Center. Butternut squash is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, and potassium; and it is an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin E. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, copper, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin E, calcium, potassium and vitamin C. It is a very good source of dietary fiber, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, protein and choline.

Roasted Squash Soup
Roasting the squash intensifies its natural sweetness.

Ingredients
1 small butternut squash
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 cup diced celery
1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
1 1/2 cups spinach
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced carrot
4 cups unsalted vegetable stock
1 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
1. Cut squash into half-inch pieces, put in a roasting pan and toss with 1 teaspoon of oil. Roast at 400 F for 40 minutes or until brown.
2. Add remaining oil to a large pot. Add vegetables and saute over medium heat until vegetables are lightly browned. Add stock, spices and squash to pot, and simmer for a few minutes.
3. Carefully puree soup with a stick blender, or process soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Return pureed soup to pot and bring back to a simmer. Serve.

In the new year, make a resolution to try new foods and eat healthier. This recipe for celeriac and potato soup from the American Diabetes Association helps you do both. Celeriac, better known as celery root, is very low in calories (100 g root holds just 42 calories) and its smooth flesh has some health benefiting plant-nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber. Give this easy recipe a try in 2017!

Celery Root and Potato Soup

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. celery root (celeriac)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 cups reduced-sodium, low-fat chicken broth
1 1/2 lb. Idaho potatoes, peeled and quartered
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup 1% milk

Directions
1. Trim the base of the celery root with a knife and then peel the skin with a vegetable peeler.
2. Rinse the celery root and slice it into 1/4-inch slices.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the onion, and sauté for 5 minutes.
4. Add the celery root and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add in the potatoes and salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes until the vegetables are very soft.
5. Puree the vegetables with the liquid in batches in a food processor. Return to the saucepan and heat over medium heat. Gradually add the milk and heat, but do not boil.
6. Readjust seasonings if necessary and serve.

The professionals at Great Care are available to talk with you and your family about all of your home care needs, including respite care. Great Care is a non medical in-home care agency providing quality and affordable elder care in Fishers, IN and the surrounding areas. Call (888) 240-9101 for more information.