I enjoy French onion soup, but the traditional recipe is a heart menace.  High in butter, cheese and salt, it delivers few nutrients that help, a high level of nutrients that harm, and a substantial amount of calories - that's all exactly what a soup should not do.  

Soups, properly prepared, should be among the healthiest foods you eat. Great soups combine many healthful ingredients with low temperature cooking methods that do not destroy nutrients or create the toxic oxidizing compounds associated with high temperature cooking. 

From the culinary perspective, a traditional onion soup uses cooking techniques suitable for delicious, healthier soups. An onion soup's great taste lies with how the onions are first prepared. Thinly sliced, the onions are stewed for ¾ hour, at a medium low temperature for the first 30 minutes and then, at a somewhat higher temperature, the onions are lightly browned.  Only then are the liquids and seasonings added to make the soup.

In the Kardea Kitchen, we again look to move beyond the traditional recipe and make this classic dish more suitable for the heart healthy eater. We eliminate the butter and the beef stock, and we add ingredients that support heart health. Lentils and butternut squash give this recipe cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber, antioxidants  and a substantial amount of potassium, useful for healthier blood pressure levels (did you know that most American's are potassium deficient). 

Again, the stewed onion forms the delicious soup base.  Use your own tastes to guide which vegetables and spices that you might want to add --- don’t be afraid to experiment.  You may well create a family tradition.