Spiced Fruit Soup Recipe

A Scandinavian favorite, fruit soup — called fruktsoppa in Swedish — can be made with most any dried fruit you have on hand: dried apples, dried apricots, dried cherries, dried currants, dried dates, dried mango, prunes (dried plums), raisins and more. Enjoyed for breakfast, snack or dessert, this soup delivers plenty of nutrition and sweetness without adding sugar.

Ingredients

½ cup finely-chopped dried apples
½ cup finely-chopped dried apricots
½ cup dried cranberries or cherries
½ cup pitted finely-chopped prunes (dried plums)
½ cup raisins or currants
1 medium orange, grated and juiced
2 tablespoons pearl tapioca
1 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger root
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise or ½ teaspoon crushed fennel seed
5 cups water
1 cup pomegranate juice, cranberry-apple cocktail or apple juice
Unflavored fat-free yogurt, for garnish

Directions

Before you begin: Wash your hands.

1. Combine the dried apples, dried apricots, dried cranberries, prunes and raisins in a large saucepan. Mix in grated orange and orange juice, tapioca, ginger root, cinnamon stick and star anise.
2. Add the water and bring to a boil; lower heat to medium low and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes until the fruit is tender.
3. Stir in the pomegranate juice; heat for 5 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and star anise.
4. Serve warm or cold, topped with a dollop of yogurt.

Cooking Notes

• As a variation, use an equivalent amount of any mixture of dried fruits.
• If desired, slightly cool some of the simmered fruit mixture. Purée it with an immersion blender, then return it to the soup.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: About ¾ cup
Serves 8

Calories: 140; Calories from fat: 0; Total fat: 0g; Saturated fat: 0; Trans fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 20mg; Total carbohydrate: 36g; Dietary fiber: 2g; Sugars: 26g; Protein: 1g