Soup to warm the soul

27 Jun

Whether you’re on a dysphagia diet or not, it’s clear that soups are a crowd-pleaser. Enjoyed by cultures around the world, a hearty bowl of soup explores flavour combinations that most home cooks would typically shy away from.

A wonderful way to increase your nutrient content, soups can also be gentle on your digestive system, quite literally warming your soul from the inside out. A simple bowl of soup is host to rich tastes with a cheerful vibrancy that cannot be overlooked. Soups quite literally steal the show for dysphagia diets and are absolutely delicious to eat, drink or slurp.

Potato, Leek & Cauliflower Soup

Serves 4

6 large potatoes
1⁄2 cauliflower
2 leeks
1 brown onion
425g cannellini beans (canned)
2 cups vegetable stock
4 cloves garlic
Pinch salt and pepper

Cut the leeks lengthways, then rinse thoroughly to remove traces of dirt. Once cleaned, finely dice the leeks along with the onions.

Place a large saucepan on medium heat. With a drizzle of olive oil sauté the diced onion and leeks for 6-8 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the potatoes and cauliflower into 1-inch chunks. Add them to the pan, along with the minced garlic. Stir for 3 minutes until fragrant.

Incorporate the drained cannellini beans, vegetable stock, salt and pepper, and stir until combined. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer for 30 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until it is smooth. Serve and enjoy!

Simply Modify

Easy-to-chew: Suitable.

Soft & bite-sized: Suitable.

Minced & moist: The soup can have some texture throughout, with pieces no larger than 4mm. Ensure the soup is thick and cohesive. An additional cup of cannellini beans or potatoes can increase the viscosity of the meal. Otherwise, additional thickening agents can be used (see test guide). The soup should remain in a pile on a spoon rather than running flat.

Puree: Ensure the soup thickness is appropriate for puree. An additional cup of cannellini beans or potato can increase the viscosity of the meal. Otherwise, additional thickening agents can be used (see test guide). The soup should remain in a pile on a spoon rather than running flat.

Written by Brie Simons
Speech Pathologist