Most of us eat soup from a can from time to time. After all, it is easy to make and relatively cheap, too. The downside is that it can get pretty boring, and for those of us without much time, it may be the only solution. Fortunately, you do not have to be stuck with dull soup. There are some great ways to make your soup better without a lot of work. Here are a few.
The right additions can turn your canned soup from a bland sort of meal to a fabulous one. For instance, a few extra vegetables can make things a lot more fun. Chop up whatever you have around and saute it quickly in a pan, or just cook it a little in the microwave. Add the partially cooked veggies to your soups and improve the flavor right away.
Do not forget the frozen vegetables, either. Adding a handful of frozen corn or peas to a can of soup can make it a lot more interesting, especially when you are talking about chowders and cream soups. It does not get much easier than this – just add the veggies and heat.
Meat can make an excellent addition to soups, as well, and it is a great way to use up leftovers. For a tasty chicken soup, save bits from a previous chicken meal, warm them briefly in the microwave, and add to your canned meal for a better taste. Any kind of meat, including seafood, can be used. Just make sure you cook it thoroughly before eating, for safety’s sake.
If leftovers are not common in your kitchen, you can try canned meats instead. Chicken, shrimp, or other options make a canned soup a lot more interesting. Add canned crab to a standard can of clam chowder for mixed seafood chowder. Put chicken in vegetable and noodle soups. Everyone loves a great cup of soup.
Grains make great soup addition, as well. If you have a half cup of rice, a spoonful of pilaf, or half a serving of pasta left some night, don’t throw it out. Instead, put it in a bag in the fridge, and then add it to your next soup meal.
Check out your spices and condiments. Some of them can make a boring soup much more interesting. A sprinkle of garlic salt, basil, oregano, or red pepper could add that flavor you have been looking for. A splash of sherry or wine, or a little bit of an interesting vinegar (balsamic is great) are also excellent options. You can get creative with your options, too. A little bit of soy sauce adds an interesting depth of flavor.
Last, but not least, do not forget about dairy. A little freshly grated cheese can make your soup much tastier, and some soups benefit greatly from a spoonful of sour cream. Do not overdo it, and always add these after heating to prevent separation (to create a cheese soup, you can add grated cheese to a cream soup when heating). You will love the taste that results.
A chicken soup recipe is just the thing when you don’t feel good. It is gentle on the stomach and soothing to the throat. It helps drain the sinuses so you can breathe. This is the best tasting medicine on the planet, so go ahead and eat a large bowl. You’ll feel better sooner.
For busy people who want a quick grab-n-go meal, sandwich wraps are the perfect choice. Using only simple ingredients that you have on hand, you can put together delicious and healthy meals in minutes. They are perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacks whenever you are short on time or energy.
Here is a simple procedure to put a healthy and delicious wrap together in just a little bit of time. It’s quick, easy, and flexible and allows for your own tastes, the seasons, or for what you may have on hand at the time you make your sandwich wrap. Just take the ingredients you are using and layer them down the center of the wrap, leaving an inch or so at the bottom to close the wrap when you are finished.
1. Pick the kind of wrap that you want. Try soft tortilla shells, which come in plain or flavored varieties like, spinach, tomato, whole grain, and more. If you want to lighten up your wrap sandwich you could also try large lettuce leaves, kale leaves (just cut out the tough stem and use the soft leafy portion (raw or steamed), or try some cabbage leaves that have been lightly steamed.
2. Select a spread for the wrap base. This is what will go underneath all of your ingredients. Spread a layer, as thin or as thick as you like, on the wrap that you have selected. Here are a few ideas for ingredients to spread on your wrap: mayonnaise, cooked sweet potatoes, sour cream, olive tapenade, or plain or flavored cream cheese.
3. Pick a hearty filling. Place a filling or combination of fillings on the wrap down the center in a strip. Some simple ideas are: cheese (sliced, shredded, or crumbled varieties), tempeh, tofu (baked varieties), leftover cooked chicken (sliced thinly), canned or fresh cooked tuna or salmon, or hard-cooked eggs, etc.
4. Add some vegetables or fruit to the wrap. This is a painless way to get vegetables and fruit in your diet. Place your chosen vegetables or fruit on top of your filling. Here are some simple and flavorful suggestions:
Vegetable Suggestions: select a variety from broccoli slaw, fresh tomato slices or diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, peeled and thinly sliced jicama, marinated artichoke hearts, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, sliced mushrooms, sliced scallions, sliced roasted red peppers, sliced sweet bell peppers, very thinly sliced fennel, chopped or diced onion, thinly sliced cucumbers, etc.
Fruit Suggestions: dried cranberries, orange slices, diced or sliced apples or pears, peach slices, sliced strawberries or mango, raisins or dried fruit of choice, fresh blueberries or blackberries, sliced mango, diced cantaloupe or honeydew melon, etc.
5. Boost the flavor of your wrap. Add a little extra zip to your meal with some simple items that will accent your wrap sandwich. Depending on the fillings you have chosen, here are a few suggestions to get you started.
Crunchy/Salty/Spicy Flavor Toppings: cooked and crumbled bacon bits (regular or vegetarian), pickle relish, peanut sauce, a little chopped fresh herbs of choice like mint, basil, dill, oregano, or cilantro, chopped nuts, salsa, oyster sauce, or a sprinkling of soy sauce
Sweet/Spicy/Crunchy Flavor Toppings: nutmeg or cinnamon, granola (use your favorite flavors), chopped nuts, a spoonful of marmalade or all-fruit spread, a little chutney, shredded coconut, mini-chocolate chips, etc.
When you have everything added to your wrap sandwich, just fold up the bottom flap over your ingredients and then fold in each side, one over the other to close it.
A few simple and flavorful wrap sandwich ideas are listed to get you started making these quick meals in minutes.
- whole grain tortilla wrap, mashed baked sweet potatoes, sun-dried tomatoes in oil (drained and sliced), crumbled goat cheese, a couple of whole fresh basil leaves
- whole grain tortilla wrap, almond butter, avocado slices, crushed and drained pineapple, brown sugar
- spinach flavored tortilla wrap, cocktail sauce, (shelled, cooked, and chopped) shrimp, (canned and drained) mandarin orange slices, feta cheese
- whole grain tortilla wrap, almond butter, sliced peaches, sliced strawberries, honey, cinnamon
- spinach flavored tortilla wrap, basil pesto, cooked vegetarian sausage links sliced lengthwise, shredded cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes
- whole grain tortilla wrap, tomato pesto, sliced hard-cooked egg, fresh spinach leaves, pitted and chopped black olives, spoonful of sour cream
- spinach flavored tortilla wrap, garlic hummus, canned tuna (packed in water, drained, and flaked), cottage cheese, a sprinkle of Italian seasoning, radish sprouts, capers
- tomato flavored tortilla wrap, tomato pesto, cooked and mashed black beans, sliced cucumber, sliced roasted red peppers, shredded cabbage, crumbled goat cheese, sprinkle of dried basil, a drizzle of Italian dressing
Laura Cokherell, a cooking enthusiast, shares a wide variety of budget friendly meal ideas from breakfast to dessert, including more sandwich wraps, at Quick Salad Recipes.com. You will find a large selection of quick recipes for healthy, flavorful, natural meals that require a minimum of ingredients, time, effort and clean-up for the time-pressed world we live in.
Filed under Anytime, Breakfast, Dinner, Fat Burning Foods, Lunch, Meat, Negative Calorie Foods, Snack, Vegetable by on Nov 10th, 2009. Comment. 
