Healthy Soups

Though soon doo boo jigae is traditionally made with a bit of spice, my mom has long made it without adding fine red chili powder to accommodate me and my sisters when we were growing up, and now her toddler grandsons.

Every once in a while, I feel the need for some authentic Soon Doo Boo JiGae, a hearty, miso-based stew that's chock full of fresh vegetables and silky soft tofu. If you grew up in a Korean home or have had the pleasure of trying Soon Doo Boo Jigae at a Korean restaurant, you probably know exactly what I'm talking about - it's a need that cannot be defined.

If you're big on soups and you enjoy fresh garlic bread, this dish will likely cause you to do a little jig before going for seconds.

Garlic is a surprisingly good source of vitamin C, which partially explains why it's long been thought to boost immune system strength.

Lentils are among nature's finest food offerings for a healthy heart because they're abundant in folate, a vitamin that is essential to keeping your blood homocysteine at a healthy level.

This super healthy stew is made unique by adding a handful of raisins and whole cashews. Sounds funny, I know, but once you try it, I trust that you'll agree that all of the ingredients go together beautifully.

Broccoli is rich in indoles and sulforaphane, compounds that are known for their cancer-fighting properties. Broccoli is also abundant in fiber, folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium, coenzyme Q10, and carotenoids.

This delicious bell pepper soup recipe is rich in a number of antioxidants, most notably, carotenoids and vitamin C. The Yin-Yang presentation is created by pouring red and yellow bell pepper soups into each serving bowl at the same time.

Chickpeas are abundant in a number of health-promoting nutrients, most notably folate, manganese, tryptophan, copper, iron, and healthy protein.

High folate and tryptophan content make chickpeas an excellent food choice for women of child-bearing age and people who have trouble getting restful sleep.

To promote your best health, including strong bones and teeth, it's vital that you eat plenty of green plant foods on a regular basis. And ounce for ounce, few green plant foods are more nutrient-rich than green peas.

Green peas are naturally abundant in folate, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, carotenoids, tryptophan, vitamin K, manganese, healthy protein, and a number of other health-promoting nutrients.

Did you know that ounce for ounce, black beans have 10 times more antioxidants than oranges? Black beans actually rank right alongside grapes and cranberries in overall antioxidant power.

Often called turtle beans, black beans are one of nature's most fiber-rich foods, making them an excellent choice for diabetics; fiber tends to slow down the pace at which natural sugars in foods enter your bloodstream.