There’s something better than eating a delicious soup that is hearty on a cold winter’s day. Learning how to prepare a nutritious creamy base can help you satisfy the desire for comfort food and still eat healthy. The soup base that is a staple can be frozen and then thawed. For two persons, freeze the base in two-cup portions and then include 1 cup of other vegetables along with seasonings and garnish for 2 bowl-sized portions.
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth, low or regular sodium
- 4 medium potatoes Yukon Gold, California White and red-skinned potatoes are great, if peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 stalk of celery chopped
- A medium or 6 carrots chopped
- 1 clove of garlic crushed
- About 4-6 sprigs fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 tsp. black or white pepper
- 1 6-0z can evaporated dairy (not condensed milk which is sweet)
Instructions
- Then, in the pan lightly sauté the onion, celery and carrots, as well as garlic and parsley on medium heat until the vegetables are coated in oil. Reduce the temperature, cover the pan and cook until the celery and onion are translucent but not cooked. The vegetable mixture should be placed on the top of the soup pan and add the potatoes that have been peeled into chunks, and broth.
- Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium or low. Cover the pot, and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Utilizing a jar-style or an immersion blender, blend the potato and liquid, while warm. Then, stir in evaporated milk. Adjust the seasoning and taste as needed.
Vegetable COMBINATIONS
For every 2 cups of base, add 1 cup of previously cooked vegetables and seasonings.
There are some great combinations:
Broccoli with a pinch of curry powder. Sprinkle with almonds that have been toasted.
Carrots with a few tsp celery, cumin, or dill seeds. Sprinkle with additional dill or parsley.
The corn kernels are chopped along with the sweet red pepper and some cumin or smoking spice paprika. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
Chard as well as spinach or kale spiced with 1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Sprinkle with grated lemon peel.
The broccoli stems are peeled, as are the asparagus stalks (all except for the toughest part). Our grandmothers cooked delicious waste-not-want-not soups using the leftover parts of the vegetables we often throw away. Sprinkle with curry powder or the spice paprika.
FAST Main Dish SOUPS
slices of bacon cooked and cut, two cans minced clams and a big salt of seafood spice (like Old Bay). Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
oz. finely diced ham, shredded lettuce 1/2 teaspoon. Cajun seasoning and a pinch of hot sauce. Serve with chopped the scallion.
Equal portions of chopped left-over poultry along with corn kernels. Serve with chopped parsley and a fine curl of butter.
Freeze any extra soup base and let it thaw overnight in the fridge to make your own version of a rich, winter soup.
