Smart students stew simple seasonal soups
By David Douglas, Contributor
Who doesn’t like a good soup? They go great with sandwiches and are an easy way to eat healthily. Canned soup can be high in sodium and fat which has been shown to lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Here are three simple soups you can make from scratch. Each recipe makes about four servings.
Rich Bacon Tomato
Ingredients:
4 bacon strips (diced)
8 tomatoes (peeled & diced)
1 onion (diced)
1 cup water or soup stock
2 tbsp bacon grease
2 tbsp flour
salt & pepper
Method:
In a small pan, cook the bacon and separate it from grease. Coat the bottom of a deep pot with bacon grease at medium/high heat to cook the onion. Once soft, sprinkle in flour and stir to coat until flour begins to brown. At that point add the tomatoes and soup stock to the pot and stir the mixture. Cover and turn down to simmer, stirring occasionally for at least 45 minutes.
In batches, put the mixture through a food processor or blender. Return to the stove in the same pot adding the bacon bits from earlier. Salt and pepper to taste, stir and let simmer for 15 minutes. Simmer uncovered to thicken or add water to thin.
Creamy Butternut Squash
Ingredients:
4 cups butternut squash (cubed)
1 onion (diced)
2 tbsp butter
1 can coconut cream (separated)
2 cups water or soup stock
2 tbsp brown sugar salt & pepper
Method:
Melt the butter in a deep pot. On high, cook squash cubes until they begin to brown then add onion, stirring until soft. Pour in water or soup stock and allow to simmer for 30 or 40 minutes. In batches, put the mixture through a food processor or blender. Return to the stove in the same pot adding the coconut cream and brown sugar. Salt and pepper to taste, stir and let simmer for 15 minutes. Simmer uncovered to thicken or add water to thin.
Simple Hearty Broccoli
Ingredients:
4 cups broccoli (diced)
2 cups water or soup stock
salt & pepper
Method:
In a deep pot, boil broccoli covered in the water or soup stock until soft. Using a slotted spoon, separate the broccoli and put the liquid aside. In batches, put the broccoli through a food processor or blender using the separated liquid to help. Return to the stove in the same pot adding extra liquid for the desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste, stir and let simmer for 15 minutes. Simmer uncovered to thicken or add water to thin.
