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You may think of summer as farmers’ market season, but many delicious vegetables are harvested in the fall as well. When the weather cools down, the best way to eat your seasonal veggies is to slurp them up from a homemade bowl of soup. We start to crave soup when it gets cold because it’s a warming food that soothes the throat and alleviates other symptoms during cold and flu season. The five soups below take advantage of the tasty vegetables in season at this time of year.
Don’t be intimidated – even novice cooks can turn out a delicious pot of soup without a lot of effort besides chopping up the vegetables. Soups freeze well and usually last a few days in the refrigerator, giving you many meals for little work. The ingredients for each recipe are simple, and they can be found at most grocery stores. So what are you waiting for? Read on and start enjoying the harvest! Your taste buds and your immune system will thank you.
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Carrots are one of the world’s healthiest foods. They get their color from the antioxidant beta-carotene, which turns into vitamin A in your body. They have an especially sweet flavor when eaten fresh from the ground. You can also use baby carrots in this recipe to minimize peeling and chopping. Thyme has a festive, evergreen scent, and it adds a nice contrasting flavor to the carrots’ sweetness. Heavy cream is a common ingredient in fall soups. It has a rich and creamy flavor, but it is also high in calories and fat. You can often substitute less-calorific options, such as coconut milk, yogurt, plain milk, or non-dairy milks, without greatly diminishing the flavor or sacrificing too much of the texture.
Mince your ginger. Throw the carrots, ginger, stock, and thyme in a large pot and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for about an hour, then turn off the heat and let the soup cool a bit before blending. Always be careful when blending hot soups because if you don’t let the steam escape, it can explode! After it’s pureed, add the honey and cream. Finally, sprinkle in the salt. Throw another sprig of thyme on top of the bowl for a seasonal garnish.
This recipe offers something for every kind of cook. If you’re feeling adventurous, make the pumpkin purée yourself by scraping the seeds out of two sugar pumpkins and roasting them. You can then use the seeds as a garnish. Newer or more time-pressed chefs can buy canned pumpkin at any grocery store. This soup is equally delicious with sweet potatoes!
Begin by sautéing the onion and garlic in olive oil for a few minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer. Blend and then cook for another ten minutes. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds, or dress it up by splashing in some coconut milk first.
This luscious recipe is perfect when you’re in the mood for warm comfort food with a tiny bit of a kick. If you want the comfort without the fat, substitute the heavy cream for coconut milk or Greek yogurt. You’ll get the creaminess without the cream.
Just like the pumpkin soup, you can roast your own butternut squash or buy it pre-chopped at the store. You can also roast those pre-chopped pieces. While the squash is cooking, add the rest of the vegetables and seasonings to a large pot with olive oil and sauté for about ten minutes. Put the squash in with the other ingredients and stir, keeping the heat on for another five minutes. Pour in the soup stock of your choice, bring to a boil, and simmer for ten minutes.
Finally, blend everything until smooth and add cream or the low-fat substitute of your choice. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Sprinkle cinnamon over each bowl as a garnish. If you roasted your own squash, you can toast the seeds and use them as a garnish!
Adapted from Cooking with Ceramcor
Barley is a delicious whole grain with many health benefits. This wholesome, chunky soup is a great way to use up root vegetables, and the hardest thing you have to do is chop everything up. Then you can relax and enjoy a true fall classic.
Cook the onion and garlic first. Then add everything else except the peas. Bring to a boil and simmer for ten minutes, stirring the soup now and then. Throw in the peas and continue simmering until all the vegetables are soft. You can add more water or broth for a thinner consistency if desired. Try a squirt of Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce as a garnish.
I saved the most comforting soup for last. This recipe has all the yumminess of a baked potato loaded with cheese and other goodies in an easy-to-slurp soup. Make it on a Saturday and curl up with your favorite binge-worthy TV show. You’ll have everything you need for a cozy afternoon on the couch.
Fry the bacon first, or skip it to make the soup vegetarian. Sautee the onion next, then add the potatoes, broth, water, and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender. You can test their tenderness with a fork. Next, decide how much of the soup you want to puree. You can blend all of it, half of it, or none of it. If you decide not to puree any of the soup, mash some or all the potatoes with a fork or potato masher. Then add the cheese and keep the soup on low heat until it melts. Use the bacon and chopped scallions as a garnish. A dollop of sour cream would taste delicious, too!
Whether you’re in the mood for rich and creamy or light and healthy, these soups are sure to suit your fall appetite. Invite friends over to share the leftovers, or take them to work for a week of healthy lunches. You can also reinvent leftovers as new dinners by adding a grilled cheese sandwich or fresh salad on the side. Time to get cooking!
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