I know now that it is summer (well, technically it is still spring until next weekend, but the weather has finally arrived), nobody wants to think about soup.

Except me. I love soup, and  I love to make it “partially from scratch” and vary it as much as I please from day to day.

So if you are a nutjob like me who eats hot food even in the summer, here are some ideas to get you going:

1) Start with a good broth or stock (bear with me- I always forget which is which). I am not in the habit of making my own stocks or broths, so I buy mine in the carton, usually Full Circle’s Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth. I also like Pacific’s Mushroom stock and chicken stock

2) Add some veggies. My favorites are:

• fresh celery
• fresh carrots
• fresh mushrooms
• fresh onions
• fresh peppers
• fresh zucchini or summer squash
• packaged mann’s rainbow salad
• fresh broccoli/ cauliflower
• frozen okra
• frozen veggie mixes
• and if I’m really desperate, canned green beans (man why do I love these so much, they are so mushy but I just love them… okay if I’m honest it is probably the sodium).

3) Add some protein/fiber. I like the cartons of low sodium beans from Whole foods (black beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans, garbanzo beans) or frozen edamame

4) Add a starch. Some of my favorites are sweet potato (pictured, above), quinoa, tofu noodles, and barley. On lazy days I sometimes even use the 365 brand frozen white quinoa, but it is really a rip off money-wise.

5) Season season season! Here is my list of herbs (I use Penzey’s dried spices for the most part):

• salt
• cayenne pepper
• turmeric
• dill/oregano/basil (I usually choose just one of these)
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• sweet curry
• occasionally dried cilantro

That is pretty much it. It takes me about 20-30 minutes which includes chopping veggies for the next day’s lunch while I’m at it. Sure, you can take some other short cuts, but I do enjoy the whole process and usually I’m having a good time in the kitchen while I’m at it- listening to David Bowie or Ben Folds, having a tasty beverage, and joking around with Man-Go-Round.

Do you like to make your own soups? What are your favorite kinds of soup? Do you eat hot foods in the summer or save them for the colder seasons? Do tell!

Meri