Food & Recipes

Winter: Prime Time for Festive Fruit

Berry-Wine Soup

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic members: Journal as 1/2 cup fruit juice + 1 portion fresh fruit

Slightly tangy, refreshing, and simple to prepare, this crimson soup is an elegant way to enjoy berries. Serve it warm or chilled for dessert or as a first course. It will keep for up to 2 days in a covered container in the refrigerator.

1 cup cranberry juice cocktail
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup hulled and sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch of ground cloves
1/4 cup red wine, preferably a fruity wine, such as Zinfandel
Thin lemon slices for garnish

• Combine all ingredients, except wine and lemon slices, in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and let cool until warm.
• Remove and discard the cinnamon stick and stir in the wine.
• Serve immediately. Or refrigerate in a covered container until chilled, at least 4 hours, before serving. Garnish each serving with a lemon slice.

Yield: 2 1/2 cups (4 servings)

Per serving: 124 calories, 0.4 g protein, 29 g carbohydrate, 0.3 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1.8 g fiber, 5 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 3%.

Recipe from The Simple Soups Deck by Paulette Mitchell and Maryana Vollstedt, Chronicle Books, 2006; and A Beautiful Bowl of Soup by Paulette Mitchell, Chronicle Books, 2004. Reprinted with permission of the author.