Cabbage Soup Diet Recipes

Given that you’re going to be eating unlimited quantities of this soup for a week, it’s worth finding a recipe that you’re happy with. If you’re not a confident cook, begin with the outline below.

The ingredients are just a starting point – you don’t have to include them all, but you can if you want (and feel free to hunt around for any other low-calorie options to add). Needless to say, any variety in what will be a tedious week of food is going to help you stay the course, so don’t be afraid to change the recipe here and there to satisfy your taste buds.

Ingredients:
Half-a-dozen onions, diced
Two or three cloves of garlic, chopped
One bunch of celery, washed and chopped
Two green peppers, washed, seeded and chopped
Half a cabbage, washed and chopped
One or two cans of chopped tomatoes
Three carrots, washed/peeled and diced
One pack of mushrooms, washed and chopped
Several teaspoons of bouillon and/or stock cubes, to taste
Salt, pepper, herbs and spices, to taste

1) Basic recipe:
Start by heating a little cooking oil in a large saucepan. Throw in the onions and garlic and fry them until translucent, then add the green pepper, celery, carrots and mushrooms. When the vegetables are soft, pour in three litres (12 cups) of water, as well as the cabbage, bouillon/stock, and any flavourings you like (be careful with the salt; this is already a high-sodium diet). When the cabbage is cooked, add the tomatoes and heat through.

This is your basic recipe. If you like, there are variations that will make the week a little more interesting.

2) Thai style
At the beginning of the recipe, when you are frying off the onions and garlic, add plenty of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped finely, along with some minced lemongrass, Tabasco sauce and/or chilli powder, or a fresh red chilli, washed and chopped, if you prefer. At the very end, season with soy sauce.

3) Rustic soup
This time, make sure you have plenty of onions and garlic in the mix. Add some fennel seeds at the frying stage, then when the rest of the vegetables go in include lots of herbs – basil, thyme, parsley and a bay leaf, if you want. Decrease the amount of water to produce a good thick, tasty and filling soup.