The Dolly Parton Soup Diet, also known as the Cabbage Soup Diet, is a short-term weight loss plan centered around consuming large quantities of cabbage soup. While the diet has been around for decades under various names, it resurfaced as the "Dolly Parton Diet" in the 1980s. This article explores the different versions of the diet, including a copycat recipe for Dolly Parton's Stampede Soup, and examines the potential benefits and risks associated with the cabbage soup diet for weight loss.
Dolly Parton's Stampede Soup: A Cozy and Customizable Recipe
Dolly Parton’s Stampede (previously known as Dixie Stampede) is a dinner show attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and Branson, Missouri that serves up this incredible creamy vegetable soup! For those who enjoy the creamy vegetable soup served at Dolly Parton's Stampede dinner show, a copycat recipe offers a way to enjoy a similar dish at home. This recipe is designed to be rich, flavorful, and customizable with your favorite vegetables.
Copycat Dolly Parton Stampede Soup Recipe
This incredible copycat Dolly Parton Stampede Soup recipe takes less than 15 minutes to make and is rich and cozy.
Ingredients:
- Chicken Broth: Forms the liquid base of the soup.
- Half and Half: Adds creaminess and richness to the soup.
- Butter
- Flour
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- White pepper
- Salt
- Mixed vegetables (drained)
Instructions:
- In a large saucepan, melt butter.
- Stir in flour, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, and salt.
- Whisk in chicken broth and the drained vegetables.
- Whisk in half and half, and simmer an additional 5 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Customization:
- You can experiment with adding different vegetables.
- Cozy Flavors & Versatile: It’s SUPER delicious and pairs well with so many foods! You can use your favorite seasonal vegetables in this soup.
Tips and Adjustments:
- Thicker Soup: You can make this soup thicker by swapping some or all of the half and half with heavy cream or adding leftover mashed potatoes or instant potato flakes to the soup until you reach the consistency you like best.
- Alternative Thickening: You can whisk together a cornstarch slurry by combining 1/2-1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/2-1 tbsp water or milk. Whisk this mixture into the soup and allow it to simmer 5 minutes to thicken.
- Smooth Texture: You can blend this soup completely with an emulsion blender or blender to a cohesive mix. Once blended, add it back to the saucepan to heat back up.
- Gluten-Free: No, but it can easily be adapted. You can substitute the all purpose flour with a gluten-free flour alternative or use the cornstarch slurry thickening method as noted above.
Storage:
- After the soup has completely cooled, leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container up to 4 to 5 days.
- This soup can be frozen in an air-tight container up to 3 months.
The Cabbage Soup Diet: An Overview
The cabbage soup diet is an ultra-restrictive seven-day diet that has been around for ages. The actual origin of the diet is unknown but some guess it dates to the 1950s. The cabbage soup diet is a short-term weight loss plan that primarily involves eating large quantities of cabbage soup over the course of a week. The recipe for the cabbage soup varies slightly among different versions of the diet. The closest recipe to the original version basically consists of only cabbage, onions, tomatoes or tomato juice, celery and carrots.
Sample Cabbage Soup Recipe
There are many variations of cabbage soups available today. And the soup is sometimes also called wonder soup, weight loss soup, miracle soup and weight watcher soup.
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Ingredients:
- Vegetable broth
- Onion
- Garlic
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Celery
- Salt
- Pepper
- Oregano
- Basil
- Diced tomatoes
Instructions:
- Add the vegetable broth, onion, garlic, cabbage, carrots, celery, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and diced tomatoes, then stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes until cabbage and carrots are tender.
Variations:
- You can vary the cabbage soup recipe by using chicken broth, bone broth or water instead of vegetable broth.
- While white cabbage is typically used, you can also use red cabbage.
- You can also add bell peppers, spinach, zucchini or any other non-starchy vegetable (no potatoes).
- If you're watching your sodium, choose low-sodium broth and low-sodium canned tomatoes.
The Cabbage Soup Diet Plan
This diet basically works as you would expect given its name; in other words, you eat a lot of cabbage soup, as much as you want at mealtime. Other raw or cooked non-starchy vegetables. Over the years there have been several modifications. The diet plan typically includes eating cabbage soup as the main dish, along with specific allowed foods each day. For example, one day might include fruit (except bananas) in addition to the soup, while another day might allow for vegetables. Some versions include a day with bananas and skim milk, and another with beef and tomatoes.
Potential Benefits of the Cabbage Soup Diet
The diet promotes consuming fruits and vegetables daily, which have long been associated with positive health benefits, such as decreased cancer risk, heart disease and stroke. Specifically, cabbage is a good source of antioxidant-rich vitamins E and C, which have anti-inflammatory properties and maintain immune health. With almost three grams of fiber per cup, cabbage may also help lower cholesterol levels, prevent constipation and promote satiety. In general, eating more soup as part of a balanced diet may be beneficial for weight loss due to its high fiber and nutrient density, while also being lower in calories.
- Short-term weight loss: Even though the diet plan is only for one week, almost anyone who tries it will lose some weight. The reason is simple: You will be basically starving yourself. Some individuals have claimed upwards of a 10-pound weight loss for the week, though much of the weight loss is from water weight.
- Increased fruit and vegetable intake: The diet encourages the consumption of fruits and vegetables, which are beneficial for overall health.
Potential Risks of the Cabbage Soup Diet
The purpose of the cabbage soup diet is to restrict calories by restricting your food intake severely. Because this diet is highly restrictive, a dieter may suffer from weakness, fatigue, dizziness, irritability and headaches. Some individuals, especially those not used to a high fiber intake, may experience bloating and gas. Because it promotes rapid weight loss and limits protein, muscle loss may occur. If a person continues this diet longer than the recommended seven days, it may lead to malnutrition due to limited calories, protein, fat and other critical micronutrients for optimal health.
- Nutritional deficiencies: Because this diet is highly restrictive, a dieter may suffer from weakness, fatigue, dizziness, irritability and headaches.
- Unsustainable: And any weight loss achieved will most likely be regained once the week is over and any type of normal eating is resumed. Any weight loss will most likely return, and then some, and the dieter has learned absolutely nothing about healthy eating.
- Side effects: Some individuals, especially those not used to a high fiber intake, may experience bloating and gas.
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