One whiff of a savory aromatic soup and appetites come to attention. The steaming fragrance of a tempting soup is a prelude to the goodness to come. An inspired soup puts family and guests in a receptive mood for enjoying the rest of the menu." ~ Louis P. De Gouy. This is so true isn’t it? I have always loved soups and soups do have the potential to make feel a little better, yes I do mean "clinically" not just "psychological" or "gastronomical". If you are suffering from cough and cold try one of these soups and you would feel it for sure.Here are some interesting soup recipes that you can try out yourself.

Healthy Miso Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon light miso paste
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons barley miso paste
• 2 ounces firm tofu, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup fresh spinach, washed and chopped

Preparation:

Take a medium saucepan and bring the water to a boil. Ladle out approximately 1/2 cup of the boiling water, and keep it. Add the tofu and reduce the heat to medium. Now cover, and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes. Then you can add spinach or bok choy; simmer about 1 to 2 minutes, or until the greens are tender. Remove soup from heat and blend white miso and barley miso into the reserved hot water. Stir into soup and ladle into bowls, with the garnish of scallion. Serve the soup immediately so that everyone can have it hot.

Japanese Onion Soup

Ingredients :

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
• 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 2 tablespoons chicken stock
• 2 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
• 3 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
• 1/2 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 cup chopped fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 1 cup baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 carrot, chopped

Preparation:

Tke a large saucepan or stockpot and mix the celery, onion, carrot, ginger, garlic, along with a few of the mushrooms. Now add chicken stock, beef bouillon, and water and place the pot over high heat, and bring to a rolling boil. When the mixture boils completely, cover it with the lid, reduce heat to medium, and cook for about another 45 minutes. Place the remaining mushrooms into another pot. When the boiling of mixture is done, place a strainer over the pot with the mushrooms in it. Now strain the cooked soup into the pot with the mushrooms in it. Get rid of the strained materials and serve the broth with mushrooms in small porcelain bowls, and sprinkle fresh chives over the top to garnish. You can use Asian soup spoons to get an elegant effect.

Creamy Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup uncooked white rice
• 4 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Take a wok and heat the oil over medium heat, and sauté mushrooms, onion, and celery or carrot in the oil for about 10 minutes. Now add chicken or vegetable stock, rice, and soy sauce to the mixture of mushrooms and celery. Bring the whole thing to a boil, and simmer for at least an hour. Then take the mushrooms, onion, celery and rice out of the soup. Now using a blender or food processor, blend the combination until smooth. Stir back into wok and season with salt and pepper, and serve the soup hot.