Basic soup recipe - tips and tricks

Soup glorious soup

As the weather turns colder I start switching too soup for lunch, it's warm, filling and healthy.  It's also much cheaper to make your own than buying it from the chill section of the supermarket or in tins. 

I'd made a big pot of soup for lunch, before my brother G came round to visit.  We ended up having a conversation on the subject.   Our mum is a great cook, so sometimes we find it strange that not everyone cooks.   Basically, someone had asked him what you could use to make a pan of soup. 

The answer - anything you want or have on hand. 

Soup is a great budget watching recipe.  I always make a large pot so I can freeze it into portions.  All I have to do is take it out of the freezer in the morning and by lunch time it's defrosted enough to nuke in the microwave or reheat on the stove.  Today i felt like adding.........

BASIC SOUP Recipe

1 chopped large potato, 2 chopped carrots and 2 chopped parsnips.
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp tomato puree & 1 veggie stock cube with boiling water
A small handful of red lentils

Bring to the boil and simmer till all the veg are cooked.  Usually 20 -30 Min's. 

From a few veggies, stock cube and lentils I made enough for 3 filling meals.

Soups is great when the weathers cold, but you don't want to be eating the same type all through winter!!!  Iv learnt some Tricks and Tips over the years for making the most out of the basic ingredients.  Mainly due to my addiction to cooking programs, lol .  Below are my few of  favourite. 

TOP TIP's - Some idea's for fussy tummy's, fussy eaters and bored taste buds.

- Use your favourite veg or use what's in season as this often works out cheaper to buy.

- Any vegetable, beans or pulses can be added to a soup. Even tinned baked beans work. 

- Add beans and pulses at the same time as your stock.

- Cook your veggies over a medium heat with a little salt, pepper and oil for at least 10 Min's before adding your stock. (Didn't used to do this but it really makes a difference)

- Try crumbling your stock cube into your veggie once they've been browning for 5 Min's and cook for a few more minutes before adding boiling water to the pot.

-Or replace the stock by  using a tin of chopped tomato's or tomato pasata.

-  Adding a tablespoon of tomato puree along with your veg while it browns is another way of changing the
taste.

- If you like spicy soup, add a little chili powder or cumin at the same time as your salt and pepper. 

- As a basic measure guide I always add enough water to cover the veg, so the soup can cook.  You can always add more stock later if needed. 

-  Don't have a blender, try using a potato masher to make your soup less chunky.

- Adding a handful of Cous cous, Bulgar wheat or red lentils are all great way's of thickening your soup, they will also make it more hearty. 

- My niece and nephews don't like soup with bits.  So I take there portion out of the pot once cooked and puree it in my blender.  No need to make 2 different meals that way. 

- I love onion, but its one of my triggers.  I find cutting an onion in half and cooking with the soup imparts the flavour.  I then just take it out once it's not needed anymore.  (Also works on fussy kids)

- Garlic, I love it, again it doesn't love me.  If your like me you could try using garlic oil to brown your veg or add a whole clove to your broth and remove at the end of the cooking time. 

Most importantly remember to taste the soup as you go along to check the seasoning and make it to suite your own personal tastes xxxx

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