Healthy soups satisfy without that stuffed feeling

Soup as a main course is a great way to fill up on low-calorie vegetables and liquid, leaving you satisfied without feeling stuffed.

Choosing the right soup is the trick. Canned soups can throw a few nutritional curveballs into this healthy eating plan. They're usually loaded with sodium, and creamy soups can pack plenty of unwanted fat.

To make your own broth-based soup, be sure to start with a reduced-sodium broth, then add plenty of filling vegetables and beans.

For creamy but low-fat soups, consider starting with a base of pureed vegetables. Pumpkins and sweet potatoes can be roasted to intensify the flavors, then run through a food mill, blender or food processor.

Beans, pureed with a bit of broth or water, also make a velvety, flavorful soup base. Use convenient canned beans, but be sure to rinse them under cold water to wash away some of the salt that is in the canning liquid.

Even tofu (the soft or silken variety) can be pureed to create a smooth and protein-rich foundation on which you can build a creamy soup with little fat and no dairy.

This Scandinavian-style toasted barley soup with Swedish meatballs is filled with vegetables and whole grains, and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. Toasting the quick-cooking barley gives it a nutty flavor that becomes central to this soup.

To complete the meal, serve this soup with a salad of spicy greens and crusty whole-grain bread.