Let's solve this mystery once and for all. Don't let those
gourmets fool you. It really doesn't take a lot of fancy
cookware or specialty items to make soup. In fact soup is ideal
everyday fare, simple to make, and accessible to ANY budget.
Have you ever heard of Stone Soup? It's a wonderful story that
tells how simple soup really is. In fact soup evolved as a
catch-all for leftover bits of this and that. Now you can get
pretty fancy if you want to with soup - but we're going to stick
to the simple stuff here - everyday fare for everyday folks.
Pots and Pans You could get away with just one good sized soup
pot (6-8 quart). Of course stainless steel is best or even cast
iron will do. You want to stay away from pans containing
aluminum or teflon as they've been associated with the
development of Alzheimers and other brain disorders. I'd say the
full extent of pots I use for soup includes a small pot (2
quart) for quick noodle soups or a roux, a medium pot 4 1/2
quart, and a large pot 6 quart - depending on who's coming to
dinner, how much my ingredients will swell, and if I'm cooking
for a week or a day; a skillet for sautéing (but you could do it
right in the pot and keep all the yummy flavors in one place).
A crock pot is great to have for those long winter days if you
have to go to work or go ski or "board the rad pow", and want to
have a pot of soup when you get home. I've broken crock pots and
readily picked up a new one at the thrift store! So budget
shouldn't be a limiting factor here...after all, it's reuse
before recycle, right?
Cutting Gear Have you ever noticed, you can have a drawer full
of knives, but you always grab that favorite one? All the years
I've been food preparing and cooking (and it's been many) I
still have my favorite knife that has gone with me everywhere.
You need something good to cut veggies without it being too much
work. It may be a paring knife for you or something bigger. Just
always be very careful and use a knife you're comfortable with.
I have one paring knife I like, on medium serrated, and a large
that I adore (family heirloom) that I always have to watch my
fingers with and pay attention, but I love how it cuts up my
veggies for soup and salads.
Bottom line - use a knife you like, sharpen now and then, pay
close attention when cutting!
Refrigerator - Produce We are so lucky to have refrigeration,
provides many options for keeping and enjoying a wide variety of
produce. The baseline of my soups always begin with the many
varieties of onions, potatoes, garlic, ginger and carrots. Some
of these may not need to be refrigerated based on your climate
and home temperature. See how they are stored at the market and
do something similar.
Among the greens I always bring home cilantro, parsley and
spinach; I love having them in something every day. Beyond these
basics you can get into the fancier veggies such as mushrooms,
kale, collards, squash, cabbages (several kinds), tomatoes,
parsnips, turnips, beets...and more...
Pantry - Grains, Beans, Pasta, Herbs, Oil, Spices In your pantry
keep a supply of the Super Immunity herbs and spices you like
best. I order mine by the pound through my local co-op - you'll
have to figure out your best resources and use those. Most
health food stores have a good bulk herb and spices section
(fresher and better on cost/environment than small jars).
Get yourself a supply of beans and grains you like. Rice, quinoa
and amaranth are some of my favorite grains to add to soup. I've
found most dry beans even at the supermarket will sprout when
soaked, so you can use those, or go to the natural food store
and get organic (better for you and the Earth). Lentils, black
beans (same benefits as red wine), and pintos are some of our
favorites around here; we always soak at least 12 hours to start
the sprouting process, drain the water (important), then add
fresh water and cook 6-8 hrs to make a great soup, with greatly
reduced digestive stress.
Keep some noodles in your pantry - rice noodles are a nice way
to stay away from wheat which many people are allergic to
(because there's so much of it in our culture). But find
whatever you like among the smaller sized pastas, and keep them
around for quick soups. Even the ramen packets without msg, can
be used as a base and add fresh veggies, for healthy 'fast
food'.
Olive oil and natural soy sauce will get you started on a good
soup base and you can expand your seasonings from there as you
learn about additional ingredients such as miso and Umeboshi
plum vinegar.
Well, if you start out by stocking your kitchen as described
above, you'll be well-prepared to make yourself quite a few pots
of soup. Now take action, keep learning, discover what you like,
and feed yourself and those you love in a way that protects
their health and immunity.
About the author:
Cary Ellis, healthy diet and lifestyle expert is author of
“Vegan/Vegetarian Super Immunity™ Soup Recipes”. Follow regular
health tips at her healthy
diet blog and find her free soup recipes and videos at her
healthy lifestyle site
gourmets fool you. It really doesn't take a lot of fancy
cookware or specialty items to make soup. In fact soup is ideal
everyday fare, simple to make, and accessible to ANY budget.
Have you ever heard of Stone Soup? It's a wonderful story that
tells how simple soup really is. In fact soup evolved as a
catch-all for leftover bits of this and that. Now you can get
pretty fancy if you want to with soup - but we're going to stick
to the simple stuff here - everyday fare for everyday folks.
Pots and Pans You could get away with just one good sized soup
pot (6-8 quart). Of course stainless steel is best or even cast
iron will do. You want to stay away from pans containing
aluminum or teflon as they've been associated with the
development of Alzheimers and other brain disorders. I'd say the
full extent of pots I use for soup includes a small pot (2
quart) for quick noodle soups or a roux, a medium pot 4 1/2
quart, and a large pot 6 quart - depending on who's coming to
dinner, how much my ingredients will swell, and if I'm cooking
for a week or a day; a skillet for sautéing (but you could do it
right in the pot and keep all the yummy flavors in one place).
A crock pot is great to have for those long winter days if you
have to go to work or go ski or "board the rad pow", and want to
have a pot of soup when you get home. I've broken crock pots and
readily picked up a new one at the thrift store! So budget
shouldn't be a limiting factor here...after all, it's reuse
before recycle, right?
Cutting Gear Have you ever noticed, you can have a drawer full
of knives, but you always grab that favorite one? All the years
I've been food preparing and cooking (and it's been many) I
still have my favorite knife that has gone with me everywhere.
You need something good to cut veggies without it being too much
work. It may be a paring knife for you or something bigger. Just
always be very careful and use a knife you're comfortable with.
I have one paring knife I like, on medium serrated, and a large
that I adore (family heirloom) that I always have to watch my
fingers with and pay attention, but I love how it cuts up my
veggies for soup and salads.
Bottom line - use a knife you like, sharpen now and then, pay
close attention when cutting!
Refrigerator - Produce We are so lucky to have refrigeration,
provides many options for keeping and enjoying a wide variety of
produce. The baseline of my soups always begin with the many
varieties of onions, potatoes, garlic, ginger and carrots. Some
of these may not need to be refrigerated based on your climate
and home temperature. See how they are stored at the market and
do something similar.
Among the greens I always bring home cilantro, parsley and
spinach; I love having them in something every day. Beyond these
basics you can get into the fancier veggies such as mushrooms,
kale, collards, squash, cabbages (several kinds), tomatoes,
parsnips, turnips, beets...and more...
Pantry - Grains, Beans, Pasta, Herbs, Oil, Spices In your pantry
keep a supply of the Super Immunity herbs and spices you like
best. I order mine by the pound through my local co-op - you'll
have to figure out your best resources and use those. Most
health food stores have a good bulk herb and spices section
(fresher and better on cost/environment than small jars).
Get yourself a supply of beans and grains you like. Rice, quinoa
and amaranth are some of my favorite grains to add to soup. I've
found most dry beans even at the supermarket will sprout when
soaked, so you can use those, or go to the natural food store
and get organic (better for you and the Earth). Lentils, black
beans (same benefits as red wine), and pintos are some of our
favorites around here; we always soak at least 12 hours to start
the sprouting process, drain the water (important), then add
fresh water and cook 6-8 hrs to make a great soup, with greatly
reduced digestive stress.
Keep some noodles in your pantry - rice noodles are a nice way
to stay away from wheat which many people are allergic to
(because there's so much of it in our culture). But find
whatever you like among the smaller sized pastas, and keep them
around for quick soups. Even the ramen packets without msg, can
be used as a base and add fresh veggies, for healthy 'fast
food'.
Olive oil and natural soy sauce will get you started on a good
soup base and you can expand your seasonings from there as you
learn about additional ingredients such as miso and Umeboshi
plum vinegar.
Well, if you start out by stocking your kitchen as described
above, you'll be well-prepared to make yourself quite a few pots
of soup. Now take action, keep learning, discover what you like,
and feed yourself and those you love in a way that protects
their health and immunity.
About the author:
Cary Ellis, healthy diet and lifestyle expert is author of
“Vegan/Vegetarian Super Immunity™ Soup Recipes”. Follow regular
health tips at her healthy
diet blog and find her free soup recipes and videos at her
healthy lifestyle site
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