I think I know what you’re thinking. Who names a soup a person’s name? Well, my family does, apparently! A very long time ago now, about 1984 or so, my dad spent a while in the hospital in Vancouver, BC, following hip surgery, and my mom stayed with a lady named Freda who lived near the hospital. How my mom connected with this woman (who wasn’t a family friend beforehand) I don’t rightly recall. But we have always been thankful to Freda for taking good care of Mom during that time… and for giving her this soup recipe! It’s been a staple in our household for pushing four decades now, and required only minor adjustments to make it fit a Trim Healthy Mama E meal: that is, both low fat and moderately high in good carbs.
You don’t follow THM? No problem. This is just healthy, inexpensive, filling, tasty soup!
Wait a sec. Do you enjoy reading fiction? I’m an author of Christian contemporary romance with nearly 40 titles released on Amazon in ebook and paperback. If you enjoy stories with engaging characters, strong communities, deep faith, and great food, would you please check out my novels? Thanks.
Ready? Let’s get cooking! (Notes and tips follow the recipe.)
Freda Soup — THM E
(And here’s my obligatory disclosure that any product links might be affiliate links. Clicking on them doesn’t cost you a penny more, and I get a small percentage of any sales.)
In a large soup pot, scramble and cook:
• 1 pound of lean ground turkey or 97% fat-free ground beef
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
When the meat is cooked, add the following, and let it come to a boil and then simmer even as you add the remaining ingredients.
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup diced potatoes (golden or red preferred)
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper flakes
• 2 cups tomato pieces (1 15-ounce can, or 1 pint)
• 1/4 cup pot barley
• 1 15-ounce can romano beans* (may sub any white bean)
• 1 cup green beans, chopped (or sub canned green beans)
• about 6 cups water (or sub partial broth if desired)
• 1-2 teaspoons on-plan sweetener*
• 1/2 teaspoon blackstrap molasses*
Combine, stir, and simmer for at least 60 minutes. Longer is fine. Add water or broth if it’s too thick.
I’d like to point out that I did not measure the vegetables, and you don’t need to, either. Just guess somewhere close. And if you want to sub (for instance) green peas for the green beans, go for it.
This soup is fairly carbohydrate dense, which means (in THM) you don’t actually have an allowance left for a piece of toast. To lower the carb count a little, substitute chopped radishes or daikon for the potatoes.
It’s also very low-fat, so I suggest adding a teaspoon of butter or coconut oil to your bowl, since a little fat (five grams max) is recommended.
*Beans, sweetener, and molasses: The original recipe called for a can of pork-and-beans. If you’re not following THM (or if by some miracle you’ve found on-plan pork-and-beans) feel free to substitute that back in. I don’t drain the beans – it all goes in! But you do you.
Love reading fiction? How about Christian romance? Raindrops on Radishes features a plus-size heroine in a battle for her backyard with the extremely fit urban farmer next door! (Psst: her journey to health is based on Trim Healthy Mama…)
Freda Soup is a meal the heroine, Sadie, would enjoy in her Trim Healthy Mama journey to health!
Please Note: I am not an authorized Trim Healthy Mama coach or blogger, although I play one in fiction…
