I love fall!

 

Really, it’s my favorite season of the year. I love the crispness of the air, the change in the color of the leaves, the sound of the crunch of leaves underfoot, the earthy smell of the leaves on the ground. I love wearing all my snuggly sweaters. I love hot tea by the fireplace on chilly nights (in Georgia we’re not there yet, but I’m looking forward to it!).

 

 

Fall is also soup season. When the weather cools down, I find myself wanting more warm and nourishing soups instead of salads. I have so many soup recipes I can’t even count! My newest favorite is a vegetable soup I made a few weeks ago when I wanted a bowl of veggies but didn’t want a salad or stir fry. The nice thing about a veggie soup is that you can make it out of whatever vegetables you want to clear out of the fridge. I’ll show you what I did, but you can modify it to fit what you have. If you want a tuscan flavor, you add diced canned tomatoes and italian seasoning. An asian soup could be made with soy and miso (and add tofu, snow peas, and seaweed – I might try this next!). Whatever you feel like tasting, you can use your veggies to carry it to your mouth!

 

I have a couple of tricks and tips to make this recipe easy and a party for your mouth! First: cheat. If you’re short on time (and who isn’t?), buy precut veggies. Traditional soup base is onions, celery, and carrots called mirepoix. Trader Joe’s sells this all ready to go. It’s not organic, but if I can stifle my purist tendencies, this saves a bunch of time! Second, the biggest difference between this and an ordinary veggies soup (other than you can customize it) is that you add fresh veggies after the soup is done. Kale, spinach, raw peas, green onions, and fresh herbs (think basil or cilantro). Add these after the soup is cooked through and these will be fresh and crunchy but warm and a little wilted by the hot broth. Yum!

 

 

Ingredients:

olive oil and butter (or ghee)

2 carrots (diced)

2 ribs of celery (diced)

1 onion (diced) – or just use the mirepoix and skip the last three!1 leek (quartered and sliced thinly)

salt and pepper

1 tsp dried spices (italian, parsley. I added fennel seed which is great for digestion and tastes wonderful, but it’s optional)

3 minced garlic cloves

1 can diced tomatoes (fire roasted ones are nice!)

4 cups of vegetable broth

1/2 cup fresh peas

1 cup chopped fresh kale or spinach

1/2 cup corn kernels

1 tbsp fresh herbs (parsley or cilantro)

squeeze of lemon

 

Chop up all your veggies first.

 

Put your large soup pot on medium head and add your oils. Add the leeks, mirepoix, and any other hard veggies you’re using (parsnips, potatoes). Season with salt and pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes.

 

I added some sliced brussels I had in the crisper too!

 

Add the dried seasonings and garlic and stir together. Add the tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for about 15 minutes. You don’t want the veggies mushy!

 

Found some mushrooms and threw them in…

 

Turn off the heat and add in the peas, kale, and fresh herbs. Salt and pepper to taste and serve each bowl with a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy!

 

 

What do you love about fall? Do you have any special fall traditions you do every year? Please share in the comments below!