can you make soup without stock?

[chicagomum]

As part of a "healthy new me " I've decided to eat more soup for lunch as it is filling, but isn't chicken stock etc quite fatty? Can you make soup just with water and the other ingredients or does it taste yuck?

yes - you can just use water, and flavour it up with a bouguet garni, or chillies, or any herbs/spices you fancy. Also soy sauce, miso or a blob of marmite!

bouquet

Well, if you're making your own stock you can skim off the fat... or use a good bouillon powder like Marigold, I don't think they're that unhealthy. Maybe if you need to watch salt you could buy low-sodium kinds.

Snap - the "healthy new me" has just made soup for tomorrow's lunch . I tend to make chicken stock, I cool it, put it in the fridge and then skim any fat off the top.

I have used vegtable stock powder (Boubillon), the soup was OK but i prefer it with stock. I suppose you could make your own vegtable stock.

you can make your own veggie stock without fat but IMO it's a bit of a faff - I use organic stock powder and make loads of soups. Haven't had complaints yet!

I wouldn't have thought that the fat in stock would have made that much difference, to be honest ... I just looked at some in my cupboard (Just Bouillion) and it says 0.6g fat per 100ml which isn't too bad, is it? And for the amount that you'd be using in a serving of soup, I wouldn't think it would be worth risking the flavour by not using it.

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There's a difference between meat stock and bouillon. Neither is fatty, though. Meat stock is gelatine, not fat, and generally is hard to buy, easier to make. Bouillon is often salty, but not unhealthy, anyway.

I use meat stock, if I have any, and am not cooking for veggies. But soup comes out fine without stock, anyway.

My basic smooth soup method is: fry onions in a bit of olive oil. Add other veg. Add water/stock. Boil as necessary. Puree. Add milk/cream/mascarpone, as wanted.

I think where I go wrong is I use the carcass from Dh's roast chicken to make stock (result = tastes delicious but is rather fatty). Is it feasible to boil a whole chicken to make a stock (plus use the flesh ) or does it taste horrible?

chicago - let the stock cool in the fridge - then skim the fat off the top - you still get the fab taste - no wasted meat, and less fatty

I think the word here is impatient (or perhaps rushed ).

I think the word here is impatient (or perhaps rushed ).

oops. Said I was impatient. BTW QofQ how are things in your household atm? Thought of you over the hols and hoped the festive/holy period had been kind to you and your lovely boys.

things are ok thanks Chicago - I got payed just before Christmas as did DH - and he got TWO months worth of bonus as his work had screwed up the previous month - so for the first time in AGES we've payed the bills at the end of Dec/beginning of January and haven't gone over our official overdraft limit

oh and we had a fabby Christmas too - did a MASSIVE Christmas food (or should that be booze shop) and had a very 'merry' time

Please to hear it. And I hope the new year treats you and yours well too. .