Easy Soup Recipes to Make Eating Your Veggies FUN

Easy soup recipes doesn't mean just broth and rice, all right? Nor does it mean, "seriously vegetarian" since dairy, as well as chicken and beef broth abound (veggie broth would work, and you probably have ways to lose the dairy stuff if that's a problem).

What this page offers is a bunch of terrific soup recipes that could lead to your becoming - get ready... a Super Souper!

Some of these can be tasty starts to a great meal; some can be the whole delicious and nourishing meal itself. In either case, you can quickly - and easily

become...ta-da! A Soup-er Star! (I know, that was worse than Super Souper.)

But, hey, guess what! These tasty creations could also be one way to sneak some nutritious veggies into your kids. You can put almost anything into a blender and turn it into a creamy soup with all the vitamins but none of the texture or "feel" of, say, a green bean or a lump of cauliflower - I really think it's that "feel" that bothers most veggie-haters.

What's that? You say it's a quick, exciting

CHILI recipe you're after? Plenty of tomatoes, onions and beans there. Go ahead and click but be sure to come back here.

Ok, bet you're all excited now about my recipes for veggie soups and chili, but what if you want one with shrimp or sausage or chicken? Just click here for a page of soups with veggies PLUS lots more rasty ingredients

TO PRINT A RECIPE:
Click to it, highlight it, then click "File" -> "Print" -> "Selection" -> "Print".
(If that doesn't work give your computer a whack with something - like I do. It won't help you print but you might feel better.

CONTENTS
CLICK TITLE TO GO THERE
(Click "Back" to Return)
SOUPS STARRING BEANS
"Un-Canny" Black Bean Soup
Cannellini Bean and Spinach Soup
White Bean & Shroom Stew
Banzo Bean and Spinach Soup
Pasta & Fagioli
Chickpea Soup with Garlic

SOUPS STARRING TOMATOES
Herbed Creamy Tomato Soup
Creamy Tomato and Tarragon Soup
Real Tomato Basil Soup
Iced Tomato Soup

SOUPS STARRING OTHER VEGETABLES
Left-Over Bakers Soup
Pumped-Up Pumpkin Soup
Easy Garlic Soup
Creamy Spinach and Cheese Soup
Cucumber Soup – Cold & Minty
Mushroom & Brown Rice Soup
Quick Avocado Soup
Carrot Soup with Roasted Pecans
Your Basic Easy Minestrone
Sweet Potato—Sage Bisque
Creamy Onion Soup
Cold & Creamy Avocado Soup
My Mushroom Soup
5-Minute Borscht

SOUPS STARRING WHATEVER
Meatless Italian Pasta & Lentil Soup
Asian Wedding Soup
Asian Egg Drop Soup
Sweet Plantain Soup
Cheddar & Beer Soup
Tortilla Soup with Avocados

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"Un-Canny" Black Bean Soup
Serves 4-6

Get it? You're un-canning a bunch of good things that will become even "good-er" together. And I'm sorry about all the packaged stuff, but you did want this on the table in 10 minutes, didn't you?

2 15-oz cans black beans
1 15-oz can each spicy tomatoes, whole-kernal corn, drained & diced tomatoes
1 envelope taco mix

Combine it all in a large pot and heat well, but not to a boil. Done.

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Meatless Italian Pasta & Lentil Soup
Serves 6-8

See? We don’t always give you Italian recipes with chicken or sausage; just most of the time.

4 Tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, peeled, and diced small
1 celery rib, diced small
1 small onion, peeled & finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp each dried oregano, thyme & basil
2 cans (15 oz) lentils & their liquid
3 cups each vegetable broth & water
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups small pasta, cooked (could be orzo, ditalini, elbows or shells)
1/4 cup Romano or Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated

Boil pasta according to package directions for al dente consistency.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the oil, and sauté the carrot, celery, and onion for 5 or 6 minutes until softened. Add garlic and seasonings, stir for another minute.

Add lentils, veggie broth, salt and pepper and simmer, covered, for 15-18 minutes on low. Add the cooked pasta, stir to combine and serve with Parmesan or Romano on top.
Click here to visit my exciting vegetable page - really ___________________________________________________________

Cannellini Bean and Spinach Soup
Serves 6

When you add a tiny 1/8 tsp of thyme you might think, “not enough; I’ll make it a 1/4 or a 1/2” – don’t. Thyme has a very powerful taste and too much makes thyme soup, and your eaters won’t like that.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 cans (15 to 19 oz each) cannellini beans , rinsed and drained
2 cups water
1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1 bunch (10 to 12 oz.) spinach, thicker stems trimmed
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring, until celery is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add beans, water, broth, pepper, and thyme; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Meanwhile roll several spinach leaves together, and slice into thin strips. Repeat with the remaining spinach.

With a slotted spoon, remove 2 cups of beans from soup mixture and set aside.

Puree about a quarter of the rest in your blender until smooth and pour into a bowl.

Return this puree and the reserved beans to saucepan; heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Stir in the spinach and cook about a minute. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and serve with Parmesan.
Click here for a whole page of bean recipes __________________________________________________________

Creamy Tomato and Tarragon Soup
Serves 4

Don’t worry; using canned tomatoes isn’t cheating - I said so. There’s no way this will be mistaken for canned tomato soup with ingredients like onion, tarragon and sour cream.

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, chopped (about lcup)
1 28-oz & 1 15-oz can tomatoes, diced
¼ cup water
1/3 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp chopped tarragon or 1 & 1/2 tsp dried
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and.simmer about 5-7 minutes until the veggies are tender.

Transfer the soup to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.

To insure the soup is lump-free set a strainer over the saucepan and pour the puree through it; toss any skin or chunks left in the strainer.

Whisk the sour cream and tarragon into the soup and stir over medium heat until hot, but not boiling. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

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Tortilla Soup with Avocados
Serves 8

You might want to take a couple more minutes and cut corn tortillas into strips and bake for 5 minutes as garnish. That's really more "authentic" than crushing Doritos.

3 cans (14-oz ) low salt chicken broth
2 cans (10.75-oz) low sodium, condensed tomato soup
½ bunch cilantro, leaves only
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 avocado, seeded,peeled and cubed (Save 8 cubes for garnish)
8-12 corn tortilla chips, crumbled

In a large pan combine first 5 ingredients and bring to a boil; decrease heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Cool a couple minutes, and puree in batches in your blender.

Return the blended soup to pan, add avocado cubes and heat through, about 5 minutes.

Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with reserved avocado cubes and crumbled tortilla chips. Serve up.

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Real Tomato Basil Soup
Serves 4

Any time I can get all the recipe instructions into 4 sentences I call that SUPER-EASY, like this one.

1 large onion, peeled and sliced very thinly
2 shallots, peeled and sliced very thinly
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 carrot, shredded
4 Tbsp butter (and I do mean, butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup flour
1 10.5-oz can chicken broth + 1 can of water
Dash sugar & salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup half & half
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned, + more to garnish
Sprigs of Italian parsley for garnish

Saute first 4 ingredients in butter and olive oil until softened, about 6 or 7 minutes, then add tomatoes and tomato paste.

Stir in flour, add broth and cook until vegetables are tender.

Add sugar, salt, pepper, half and half, basil and puree in your processor or blender.

Garnish with additional basil and parsley, and serve up.

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Pumped-Up Pumpkin Soup
Serves 6

You might consider this a November/December soup but I think it could become a year-round favorite.

1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup grated onion
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp curry powder
3 cups vegetable broth
1 can (15 oz) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp each salt & white pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

In a large saucepan, saute the mushrooms and onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour and curry powder until blended.

Gradually add the broth and bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Add the pumpkin, milk, honey, salt, pepper and nutmeg; heat through. Done. _________________________________________________________________

White Bean & Shroom Stew
Serves 4

Feel free to use pre-sliced white mushrooms since we are, after all, trying to keep things e-e-e-asy.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb fresh crimini mushrooms, sliced (about 5 cups)
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
3/4 tsp dried thyme, crushed
2 cans (13-3/4 oz each) low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (14-1/2 oz) stewed tomatoes, rough chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cans (15 oz) low sodium cannellini beans, drained

In a large sauce pan, heat oil then add mushrooms, onion, garlic and thyme; cook and stir until onion is very tender and mushrooms are slightly golden, about 7 minutes.

Add chicken broth, tomatoes with their liquid, and wine; bring to a boil; cover and simmer to blend flavors, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash 1 cup of the beans until smooth; add to stew. Stir in remaining beans; heat until hot.

Serve immediately; how about a mound of steamed rice with it?
Want more bean recipes? Click here for a whole bunch _________________________________________________________________

Easy Garlic Soup
Serves 4

Here's an exciting thing to do with garlic, crusty bread and dry sherry. And since the wine is such an integral part you should really use a decent quality sherry, not just the cooking stuff.

6 garlic cloves, large, peeled
2 10 & 1/2 oz cans beef broth
2 cups water
1 cup dry sherry
4 bread slices, French or Italian, 1-inch thick
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

Add whole garlic cloves to beef broth in saucepan; cover and simmer 12 minutes, or until garlic is soft. Remove the garlic and set aside for later.

Add water and sherry to broth and heat to serving temperature.

Meanwhile, toast bread on one side under broiler; remove and spread the other side with butter.

Mash the reserved garlic and spread over bread; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and broil about 30 seconds til its bubbly.

Ladle hot soup into bowls, lay the cheesy toast on top and serve up. Mm-m-m-m-boy!

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Creamy Spinach and Cheese Soup
Serves 4

This is a dish worthy of using that very expensive, but very tasty Reggiano Parmesan. Buy a small chunk and use it whenever a recipe features subtle flavors like this delicious soup.

1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 lb spinach, rinsed clean
4 red potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt
Water
5 & 1/4 cups milk, half & half or cream
12 Parmigiano-Reggiano curls
Traditional balsamic vinegar

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and cook just until translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add spinach and cook until wilted, 3 to 4 minutes longer, tossing as necessary.

Add potatoes, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and a pinch of salt. Cook for 1 minute and then add just enough water to cover everything. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Dump the contents into your blender, add milk (or other) and pulse to cool a bit, then blend until creamy.

Divide soup among 4 bowls and garnish each with 3 Parmesan curls and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. So fancy, so good.

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Cucumber Soup – Cold & Minty
Serves 2

Here in South Carolina it’s in the 90’s today so it makes me feel a bit more comfortable to give you a chilled soup recipe – a lovely one, too.

1 hard-boiled egg yolk
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 cup chilled sour cream
1 large seedless cucumber chilled, peeled, halved lengthwise, cored, and cut into 'j,-inch pieces
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup chilled buttermilk, well-shaken

Using a fork, mash together yolk and vinegar to form a smooth paste. Stir in sour cream until smooth.

In a blender puree cuke, mint & salt with the buttermilk until smooth. Add this puree to the sour cream mixture in a stream, whisking -you do have whiskers, don't you; - or would it be better say "whisk-ers"? - until well-blended.

Serve in chilled bowls. Lovely.

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Mushroom & Brown Rice Soup
Makes 9 cups

Where would quick and easy cooking be without quick-cooking rice; I love it.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium finely chopped onion
1 (8-oz) package sliced white mushrooms
1 (4-oz) package baby bella mushrooms
1 cup shredded carrots
1 clove pressed garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground pepper
4 cups vegetable broth
3/4 cup quick-cooking brown rice
2 cups water

Heat oil in a 4-qt or larger pan on medium-high heat.

Add onion; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add mushrooms and carrots and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until golden and tender; stir occasionally.

Add garlic, salt, thyme and pepper; cook 1 minute, stirring.

Add broth, rice and water; cover and heat to boiling on medium-high. Reduce heat to medium; cook, partially covered, 5 minutes or until rice is tender. Done.

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Quick Avocado Soup
Serves 6-8

This soup is delicious hot or cold, and solves that perennial problem of what to do when you remember you bought avocados last week and now they’re too squishy to cut up for a salad or anything else so you decide to trash them but you remember this recipe and make it and receive great cheers and huzzahs. (long sentence, eh?)

4 cups chicken broth
2 really ripe, large Haas avocados
2 cups half-and-half (“light cream” to you Brits)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper 1/2 cup dry sherry
4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Heat the chicken broth until hot, not boiling. Set aside.

Cut avocado in half, toss the pit and scoop out the pulp. Place in the food processor or blender, and purée. Turn off the blender and pour in the whipping cream, followed by the hot chicken broth, cumin, salt, white pepper, sherry and lemon juice. Pulse a few times, just until mixture is blended. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired.

Serve hot immediately, or chill to serve later cold.

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Cheddar & Beer Soup
Serves 4

Sure, you can use water instead of beer, but you’d better have a darn good reason; the soup won’t have the same sharpness but it’ll still be very tasty.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cans (12 fluid oz each) evaporated milk
1 cup beer
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cups (8 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Toppings: crumbled cooked bacon (optional), sliced green onions, croutons

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Add evaporated milk; bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat; stir in beer, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and cayenne pepper. Cook for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Season with salt. Serve with toppings - or don't.

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Carrot Soup with Roasted Pecans
Serves 2

You have a choice: (A) increase the amount of pecans you roast or (B) resist the urge to eat a handful before the soup is ready. Not really such a tough choice, is it?

1 medium onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 to 3 large carrots, sliced very thin (about 1 & 3/4 cups)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
2 cups water
For pecans
2 Tbsp pecans, chopped coarse
1 tsp unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a saucepan cook onion in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 3 or 4 minutes. Add carrots, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring another minute.

Add water and simmer mixture, covered, 20 minutes, or until carrots are very tender.

While carrot soup is simmering spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the middle of your oven about 8 minutes, or until fragrant (a really wonderful aroma)and a little darker.

Remove to a bowl and toss with butter and salt to taste – if you knew how tempting those nuts would be you’d have roasted extra so you could nosh while waiting for the soup.

When soup is done, puree it in your blender until smooth, then pour into bowls and top with pecans, assuming some are left.
Click here for more super-nourishing vegetable dishes _________________________________________________________________

Banzo Bean and Spinach Soup
Serves 4

By now you know that “Banzo” is my shortening of “garbanzo” (don’t like 3-syllable ingredients). I’m sure you also know that they’re also called “chick peas” and are the main ingredient in hummus dip. But, I’ll bet you didn’t know this way to use them or what you were missing.

2 Tbsp olive oil
4 Garlic cloves, crushed
I Onion, roughly chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 & 1/4 qt canned vegetable stock
2 & 1/2 cups finely chopped or shredded potatoes
1 14 ozcan chick-peas, drained
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2/3 Cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp light tahine
3 & 1/2 cups triple-washed, packaged spinach, shredded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a 4-5 quartsaucepan. Add the garlic andonion and saute for about 5 minutes,or until the onion is soft andgolden brown.

Stir in the cumin andcoriander and cook for1 minute.

Add the stock andpotatoes and bring to a boil.Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the banzos and simmer for 5 minutes more or until the potatoes are just tender.

Blend together the cornstarch, cream, tahini, and seasoning. Stir into the soup with the spinach and bring to a boil, stirring. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper (easy does it!) to taste.

A side of sour cream for topping would be a nice touch.
Click here for some other exciting dishes featuring beans Click here for more recipes from around the world _________________________________________________________________

Your Basic Easy Minestrone
Serves 4

"Basic" suggests "options". Make it just as the recipe directs or for "un-basic" add broken-up pasta, cooked chicken chunks, peas instead of beans, haricot verts - What? You know, those extra-skinny green beans with the fancy French name - or whatever you think the "basic" needs. Actually, I think you'll be very happy if you just follow the recipe.

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 32-oz container vegetable or low-sodium chicken broth
1 l5-oz can cannellini (or other white) beans
1 l5-oz can kidney beans
1 9-or l6-oz package frozen green beans
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 5-oz bag fresh spinach or one 10-oz box frozen spinach, thawed
1/2 cup (2 oz) grated Parmesan
Crusty bread to serve with the soup

In a large pot, over medium heat, bring the tomatoes and their liquid to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Add the broth, white beans, and kidney beans and bring to a simmer.

Add the green beans and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and spinach and stir until wilted. It's ready.

Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with the Parmesan serve with the bread. That's a meal in abowl.

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Asian Egg Drop Soup
Serves 4

The secret is in the stirring: slow and in the same direction. You can do it.

4 cups prepared chicken stock, plus 2 Tbsp
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 green onions, chopped, including ends (optional)
Salt and white pepper, to taste

Bring soup stock, grated ginger and soy sauce to a boil.

While waiting for the boil in a small cup. combine the cornstarch and 2 Tbsp of chicken stock. Stir until dissolved.

Slowly pour in the cornstarch mixture while stirring the stock, until thickened. Reduce heat to a simmer.

Pour in the eggs slowly while stirring the soup in the same direction. The egg will spread and feather. Turn off the heat and add the green onions, assuming you like green onions. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

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Sweet Potato—Sage Bisque
Serves 4

I hope you're not one of those turkey-just-at-Thanksgiving people. It's good, it's often cheap. And it encourages you to make sweet potatoes - so VERY good for you. And left-over or canned sweets are what this recipe is all about.

1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 onion, sliced paper-thin
1 clove garlic, minced
2 16-oz cans chicken broth
1 40-oz can sweet potatoes, drained, OR 2 cups mashed baked sweet potatoes
6 large fresh sage leaves
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp salt
½ cup whipping cream or milk, (optional)

Melt butter in a large pan. Add onion and garlic; cook over medium heat until soft, 5 minutes.

Add broth and sweet potatoes. Cover; heat to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 8 to io minutes.

Transfer to a blender; add sage, black pepper, and salt. Blend until smooth. Blend in cream or milk if desired.

That took, what...15 minutes? ___________________________________________________________

Herbed Creamy Tomato Soup
Serves 4

Why would you pay $4 for a single serving of canned “gourmet” soup when you can make it better and cheaper yourself? So do it.

1 tsp olive oil
½ cup chopped onion (from a jar)
1 tsp minced garlic (from a jar)
2 14 oz cans crushed or chopped tomatoes pre-seasoned with basil, garlic and oregano (no pre-seasoned ones to be found? Add ½ tsp basil, garlic and oregano to plain tomatoes)
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup 2% or whole milk or half-and-half (I say, go for ½ & ½)
1/4 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
Croutons, for garnish, optional

Heat the oil in a 4'/2-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Peel and finely chop the onion, and add it to the pot. Stir and cook for 2 or 3 minutes.

Add the garlic, stir and cook 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes with their juices and the tomato sauce and raise the heat to high, bringing the soup to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the milk and Parmesan cheese and cook for 2 minutes. Stir. (Don’t boil the soup after the milk has been added.)

Remove from the heat and serve at once, garnished with croutons, if you like. And now for about the same money, you’re presenting your own fine product to four instead of “gourmet canned” to just one. Makes “cents” to me.

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5-Minute Borscht
Serves 2

The title says it all - real borscht, really delicious in five minutes. And only spinach & kale beat beets in the antioxidant department.

1 14 oz can/jar sliced beets
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp white ground pepper

In a food processor, puree beets (drained), broth, vinegar, sugar & pepper.

Serve at room temp with sour cream and chopped chives.

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Sweet Plantain Soup
(Sopo de Platano Maduro)
Serves 4

Plantains, as you probably know, look almost identical to bananas. But instead of buying the perfect yellow ones you want to buy grungy-looking, almost black ones to be sure they're ripe. Plantains are abundantly used in Cuban and other Carib cooking. This sweet soup is ridiculously easy and ridiculously delicious.

1 Tbsp butter
3 large ripe plantains, peeled and cut diagonally in 1/2-inch slices
4 cups water
Juice from 1/ 2 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the plantains, flat side down, and saute until lightly browned on both sides and tender in the middle.

Remove and puree in a food processor until smooth. Add 1 cup of the water and transfer to a medium-size saucepan. Whisk in the remaining 3 cups water.

Add the lemon juice and place over medium-high heat until the soup reaches a low boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm.

Click Here for More World Recipes _________________________________________________________________

Chickpea Soup with Garlic
Serves 4

Don't worry about the garlic; there's not enough in this quick and easy soup to even keep a vampire away. You do know they hate garlic and mirrors, don't you?

1 Tbsp olive oil
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped fine
1 16-oz can chickpeas (garbanzobeans), drained
1 small rib of celery, chopped fine
1 & 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup spicy or regular tomato juice
Salt

Heat oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook gently, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, 2 minutes.

Add celery and bell pepper; cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

Add drained chickpeas, chicken broth, and tomato juice. Cover; heat to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer gently until vegetables are soft, 10 minutes. Transfer soup to a blender; puree. Add salt to taste.

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Iced Tomato Soup
Serves 2

Here's a hot weather special that doesn't even require turning on the stove. It's based on a recipe by the late chef and food writer, James Beard. Famous chefs do sometimes create quick and easy recipes. Double all ingredients for four (or triple for six, or...oh, you know)

1 can tomato soup
1 & 1/2 Cup sour cream
1 tsp finely chopped basil
1 Tbsp granulated onion (or powder)
1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
Several ice cubes
Chopped parsley (for garnish)

Place everything but the parsley into your blender and give it a ten second spin - don't forget to put the lid on unless you want a red ceiling.

Pour into chilled mugs, sprinkle parsley on top and serve. See - no cooking.

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Creamy Onion Soup
Serves 4

Just three main ingredients - onions, cream & chicken stock. Don't let that fool you - when this soup is served no one will imagine how easy it was. But don't cheat by using margarine - butter is what makes this soup so special.

5 medium-sized yellow onions
2 14 oz cans chicken stock
2/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter

Cut the onions in quarters (hold your breath and you won't cry) and process them briefly in your processor. Stir the onions into the melted butter in a deep frying pan over low heat. Cover the pan and cook gently until very soft, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat to cool down a bit before pureeing them in your blender (in two batches).

Pour the puree into a large sauce pan, stir in the whipping cream and reheat but don't boil. Salt and pepper to taste and fill those bowls.

Add crisp croutons and a sprinkle of parsley to each bowl of this heavenly soup and wait for the compliments.

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Pasta e Fagiol
(Mac & Beans)
Serves 6 to 8

In southern Italy this is usually pronounced "pasta fajhool" (also on the Sopranos). However you say it, it means easy, quick and delicious.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 30 oz can crushed Italian tomatoes in puree
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 14 oz can chicken stock
2 16 oz cans small white beans
1/2 lb small (ditalini or elbow) macaroni
Salt, pepper & grated Parmesan cheese to taste.

Start the salted water boiling in a large sauce pan.

Briefly chop the onion and garlic in your mini-processor. Add this to the olive oil in a Dutch oven (heavy pan with high sides) and saute (stir around) for 3 or 4 minutes.

The pasta water should be boiling now so add the pasta to boil gently for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir into the softened onions the stock and tomatoes and as much dried red pepper as you like and cook for 5 minutes. Add the beans and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Drain and add the pasta to the soup and simmer for the final 15 minutes. (That's about thirty minutes total for a great dish - not bad,eh?)

Salt & pepper to taste and serve in large soup plates with grated parmesan and crusty white bread on the side.
Click for more easy Italian food recipes _________________________________________________________________

Cold & Creamy Avocado Soup
Serves 6 to 8

Another hot weather soup that will produce massive complements. And your nutritionist will be very happy about the avocados.

Important! - plan ahead, like I always do(Hah!), and put the 'cados and the can of soup in the fridge with the cream and the half-and-half in the morning so when you make the soup later it's immediately cold and ready for the table.

2 Cups peeled and sliced avocados
1 14 oz can chicken broth
1/2 tsp onion juice or minced onion
1 Cup half & half
1 Cup sour cream
Juice of 1 lemon
Seasonings & Garnish

Puree the first 3 ingredients in your processor and transfer to a large bowl.

Add the next 3 ingredients plus salt & pepper to the bowl and stir until smooth.

If the liquids were cold when you built this dish it's ready to serve, otherwise chill it in the fridge.

Garnish with whatever - parsley and chopped scallions, anyone?

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My Mushroom Soup
Serves 4

It can be yours, too, if you like quick, easy and really good - if I may say so myself.

1 lb button or cremini mushrooms
4 Tbsp melted butter
1 14 oz can chicken stock
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp Sherry
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1 tsp salt

Put everything in your blender and blend until almost smooth - very important that "almost".

Heat it and eat it. Now how easy was that?