Four Soups for Lunch

My children are touchingly grateful when I supplement their lunchtime sandwiches with a pot of soup. So once or twice a week I make one of these favorites--not difficult at all to start in the middle of the morning, as long as you're willing to saute an onion. I've taken to running these through my little hand-cranked food mill, which is a saucepan with a rotating blade in the middle and colander-type holes in the bottom. For some reason it feels like a smaller deal than getting out the blender.

Any of these soups add lots of veggies to your lunch!


* Pumpkin Soup*

In 2 T. olive oil, saute 1 diced onion, 2 cloves garlic minced, and 2 T. ginger, grated fresh, til onion is transparent.

Add:
1 quart chicken stock, 1 can cream of coconut, and 3 cups cooked pumpkin or a can of pumpkin, and simmer for an hour.

Stir in the juice of one lime, 1/3 c. tamari sauce, and salt to taste. If desired, puree in blender, then reheat.


*Easy Broccoli Soup*

In a large pot, saute 1 chopped onion and 3 cloves minced garlic in 3 T. olive oil til onion is transparent.

Add 6-8 cups chicken broth (I used two boxes of storebought), 2 large bunches of broccoli, broken into large pieces, and 2-4 potatoes, scrubbed and coarsely chopped. Cover and simmer until all vegetables are very tender, about 40 minutes.

In batches, whirl in blender or food processor until smooth. Return to pot and season with salt and lots of pepper. If desired, stir in 1 c. heavy cream or milk and heat but do not boil.


*Leek and Potato Soup*

Wash and slice thinly the white parts and a tiny bit of the green part of 1 bunch leeks and saute in 3 T. olive oil until translucent.

Add one box chicken stock, 4-5 cubed potatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, then puree soup in blender, in batches. Stir in 1 c. cream or milk and heat but do not boil.


*Tomato and Red Pepper Soup*

Chop a small onion, or a bunch of green onions. In your soup pot, saute them in 3 T. olive oil until translucent.

Add 2 cans stewed tomatoes and one drained jar of roasted red peppers. I find these in the pickle section of the store, and quantities are not important. Add 1 box of chicken broth, 1 t. salt, 1 t. sugar, and simmer for at least half an hour before milling or blending, then serving.