A soup or stew can hold a variety of colorful vegetables and is an easy way to add an extra serving or two every day. This hearty minestrone is packed with fiber-rich barley and beans, foods that can help prevent colon cancer. Onions, carrots, potatoes and cabbage are classic winter soup vegetables providing rich flavor and hearty goodness. Herbs infuse the soup with a classic Italian taste and help keep the sodium lower than canned alternatives.