Soups are easy to make in the morning before it gets too hot outside. Then all you have to do is heat them up later for a lazy summer day lunch or dinner.
Post by Kimberly Shaw.
Here are two of my favorite summer soups:
Lentil Soup
8 cups filter water or organic vegetable broth*
1 clove organic garlic, minced
1 medium organic onion, chopped
2 large organic carrots, chopped
2 stalks organic celery, chopped
1 ½ cups organic dried lentils
1 ½ teaspoons fresh organic thyme or ½ teaspoon dried organic thyme
1 tablespoon fresh organic oregano or 1 teaspoon dried organic oregano
2 tablespoons fresh organic parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon paprika (if you can use, otherwise omit)
½ teaspoon sea salt
In soup pot, bring water or broth to boil. Add garlic, onion, carrots, celery and lentils. Return to boil. If using dried herbs, add them. Simmer and cover on low heat for 60 minutes. If using fresh herbs, add the fresh thyme and oregano during the last five minutes. After removing from heat, stir in the parsley.
Makes about 4 servings. This soup also freezes well.
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Chicken, Cilantro and Lime Soup
Basic recipe:
1 medium organic onion, chopped
2 teaspoons organic extra virgin olive oil
8 cups filter water or organic low-salt chicken or vegetable broth or stock*
2 cooked organic chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1 cup organic zucchini, diced
¼ cup organic cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup organic lime juice
sea salt and pepper to taste (if you can use pepper)
If you can have corn, add:
1 cup organic whole-kernel corn
If you are not avoiding nightshades, add:
1 medium organic green bell pepper, chopped
1 large organic tomato, chopped
In large soup pot, saute onion (and bell pepper, if using) in olive oil on low to medium heat until tender, about 6 minutes. Then add water, stock or broth, chicken, zucchini (and corn and tomatoes, if using) and heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add cilantro and lime. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper, if desired.
You can garnish with organic cilantro, organic lime slices and/or organic avocado.
Makes 4-6 servings, depending on extra ingredients added.
*In the winter I like to make my own stock, but in the summer I tend to go for “easy” and avoid heating up the stove and kitchen as much as possible. There are several brands of organic broths available at health food stores. Please check ingredients carefully, as some contain nightshades and even possibly hidden MSG. When I am not making my own, I tend to do well with Imagine Foods Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth or Imagine Foods Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Broth (this does contain tomato).
To make your own broth, here are some easy recipes:
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