Soup's On!
It’s raining leaves in my backyard. Yes, the autumn colors are beautiful, but honestly, all I see is yard work. I’ll be outside working in the brisk fall weather soon and that makes me think of soup. Wonderful, glorious soup! I love to eat soup any time of year, but I especially love it in the fall when the weather starts to cool.
I never eat canned soup. Homemade soup is so much better. It’s lower in sodium, has more nutrients, and just tastes better. And it’s easy to make. Most of the time I don’t even use a recipe. You can make soup in a crockpot, a pressure cooker, even a blender. But personally, I like to simmer mine on the stove-top so I can stir the pot. Anyone that knows me, knows I LOVE to stir the pot!
Soup is so versatile. If you’re like me and always watching your weight, a low-calorie version can help fill you up and prevent over-eating. Soup can be a snack, a starter, breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Whether it is vegetarian or full of meat, soup can be packed with a variety of nutrients. You can add pasta, rice, beans, or ancient grains. The combination of foods you can put in a soup are only limited by your imagination.
This summer I froze a bounty of seasonal vegetables. Chopped tomatoes, corn, green beans, broccoli, peas, and a variety of peppers. I also have some onion, carrots, and baby spinach in the fridge. Today I’m going to throw a selection of those veggies in my stockpot with some vegetable broth, an assortment of spices, and a parmesan cheese rind. I’m certain that a DELICIOUS soup will emerge! Now that I’m thinking about it, I think I’ll add some cheese tortellini and call it a meal. Yep, that’s what’s for dinner!
Like I said, when it comes to soup, I rarely bother with a recipe. But for those of you that like to follow a recipe I have provided a link to the Mayo Clinic’s recipe page for soups - they offer dozens of healthy options.
And, oh, did I mention that most soups freeze well. Go ahead and make a big batch and save some for a rainy day!
NSB
NSM,
ReplyDeleteI love soup too! My favorite has to be wedding soup. I love when the holiday season comes rolling around because my family makes homemade wedding soup for Christmas Eve. I am going to take your advice on not following a recipe exactly... that might work better for me. Thanks for the informational post!