As we head back into regular(ish) schedules, it’s time to dust off that lunch bag, match the lids to your containers and definitely find the top to your Thermos. Because one of the best lunches you can make, is soup.

What makes it so great? Soup satisfies you quicker than a sandwich (because your body is able to digest it faster) AND it keeps you feeling full longer. Also, you can make a tasty, hearty soup easily in less than 30 minutes, by combining leftovers or using up vegetables from your crisper.

So, if you want to knock off a quick soup, it will be super helpful to have some of these items on hand:

Soup Essentials

• Stock
  Stock your pantry with: beef/chicken/vegetable stock in liquid form, bouillon cubes or soup bases.
  Or, make homemade stock! Simmer bones for a few hours, with herbs, onions (include the skins) garlic, carrot and celery tops. Voila! A rich delicious stock. Omit the bones and just use vegetables scraps and herbs to make a flavourful vegetarian stock.
  Miso paste, coconut milk mushroom stock (made from simmered dried mushrooms) are all excellent additions to your soup.
• Herbs
  Dried or fresh herbs add depth of flavour. Whenever I grab fresh herbs from the store, I almost NEVER use them all before they spoil. Make a habit of throwing leftover herbs in the freezer. When you are ready to make soup, chop them up and throw them in. They are excellent for stock too.
• Onions, Garlic and Olive Oil Great soups start with sauteéd onions and garlic. If you don’t have olive oil, use a neutral oil like sunflower or canola oil.
• Pulses and Legumes
  Add fibre and protein to your soup with chickpeas, lentils or beans. My personal favourite is white Romano Beans. They have a light texture and flavour, and when blended, make for a wonderful creamy soup, without the cream.
• Vegetables
  Kale, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, celery, mushrooms are all great for soup. You can use them fresh or frozen. (Keep in mind that the frozen versions will cook faster.)
• Hand Blender
  I love hand blenders because you can emulsify right in the pot without transferring hot liquid into a blender — saves a step and the clean up is breeze. It’s the perfect tool to smooth out your soups.

Here is a vegetarian and a chicken soup recipe to get you started.

I hope the last long weekend of summer has been relaxing and your transition into fall is smooth and breezy.

Adios,

Lisa