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8 Easy Tips for Making Soup

by Stephanie

8 Easy Tips for Making Soup

I’m not sure about you, but I AM COLD!

I don’t remember an October where I had to turn on the heat. We’re cheap and usually wait until November to turn it on, ha! 

I think this comes from growing up in a 150-year-old house and my mom saying ‘Just put on a sweater!‘

Well, guess what? I live in a 185-year-old house now and it’s cold in here! So naturally, I’m thinking about soup to warm me up.

Are you thinking about soup too?

This week I wanted to give you some tips on buying and making soup. I make a lot of soup, but I do buy it sometimes and there are some things to consider:

If you buy soup:

  • Always read the ingredients label. Look for olive oil or water. I encourage you to stay away from canola and vegetable oil if possible because they’re not health-building. 
  • Watch the salt. I find canned and pre-made soups full of sodium. Look for something low in sodium on the label.
  • Go to the refrigerated fresh aisle first. I prefer jarred soups that seem like they were made by a person, instead of a factory. 
  • Boost up a canned or jarred soup with a scoop of grass-fed collagen, or grass-fed gelatin for added nutrients (the gelatin will help to mimic bone broth).
  • Add a glug of extra virgin olive oil once the soup is cooked to help to make the nutrients more bio-available (Vitamin A, D, E and K, for example, need fat to work properly!), 

If you make soup:

  • Make or use bone broth or chicken stock to ‘beef’ up the soup. Adding bone broth can add nutrients to help you stay healthy during the winter months.
  • But don’t feel you need to have the added cost of broth to make a good soup. For example, if you make chicken soup, simply cooking the chicken in water will create a delicious and nourishing broth. If you’re not making chicken you can still use water and add onion, garlic, herbs, and spices for flavour.
  • If you have a ‘selective eater’ in the house who doesn’t like chunky soups, puree a serving for him/her right before you eat. I do this for my kids and it saves some headaches at the table!

I hope that helps you with some ideas to make awesome soup this fall and winter.


P.S.: Follow me on Instagram to get weekly tips and tricks!

P.P.S.: Check out my Easy Slow Cooker Recipes booklet for awesome soup and stew recipes!

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***EDIT: These are RAMPS! Oops. But you can still ***EDIT: These are RAMPS! Oops. But you can still read about all the benefits of garlic and green garlic below. Also, you can use ramps in the recipe I gave you!***

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This week I got my first batch of green garlic in the veggie box!⁠
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Green garlic, or spring garlic, is a younger version of the garlic we know well and use in our cooking. It’s milder and can be used in many recipes. You can eat the white and green parts.⁠
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It has a white base like a green onion although it’s a bit bigger and its green stems are more flat than rounded. ⁠
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The younger version of this garlic has the same amazing health benefits as its older version making it an excellent addition to your recipes.⁠
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Not to mention it’s local and can basically be grown anywhere which is fantastic news for our environment.⁠
⁠
Health Benefits of Garlic:⁠
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⚡️Helps to reduce cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure⁠
Garlic’s sulfur-containing compounds can be beneficial to the upper digestive tract.⁠
⚡️We need to eat garlic in our meals at least 2-3 times a week in order to see these health benefits.⁠
⚡️Use it raw and cooked. Raw garlic retains its health benefits more so than when it is cooked.⁠
⚡️Dried garlic doesn’t have the same effect as raw or cooked. Tastes good though!⁠
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⚡️A Quick Recipe: Quinoa (or rice or millet) with Green Garlic⚡️⁠
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Slice the ends off of the green garlic and thinly slice the entire vegetable including the green parts.⁠
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Put a tablespoon of olive oil into a pan and sauté the green garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add quinoa (about 1-2 cups) and stir. Add a bit of salt and pepper and voila! You have a flavourful side dish. ⁠
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#recipe #springrecipes #simplerecipes
My brother-in-law Steve spent a large portion of o My brother-in-law Steve spent a large portion of our Christmas dinner sharpening my knives. I was so grateful, but also hesitant that I would cut myself.⁠
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When I started cooking with my newly-sharpened knives, I was in awe.⁠
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Sharp knives make all the difference when it comes to enjoying cooking. It's also safer if you can believe it.⁠
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With a sharp knife, you're less likely to push down harder on the knife trying to get it through an onion, for example.⁠
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It just slices through with little pressure. ⁠
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Dull knives leave room for error and slicing fingers (listen, I've cut a few fingers over the years...).⁠
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If you're having trouble enjoying cooking at home, I encourage you to either get a new knife (it doesn't have to be expensive), or get someone to sharpen your knives for you (call a Steve in your area!).⁠
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Take care of them with a little holder and treat them kindly. Having a sharp knife will bring you one step closer to love cooking at home.⁠
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xo⁠
Steph⁠
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#kitchenskills #cookingtips #easycooking #enjoycooking #inthekitchen
Keep Meals Simple Friends! I’ve said this befor Keep Meals Simple Friends!

I’ve said this before: keep your meals simple. 

Pick meals that take fewer than 20 minutes or less to cook so you’re not scrambling during the week to make dinner and keep the elaborate meals for the weekend.

Another idea is to choose a couple of veggies to roast on Sunday that you can use for various meals during the week. 

Roasted sweet potatoes are great with chicken thighs, but also taste fantastic in a frittata or taco. 

Cook once, eat twice (or three times).

Meal planning doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep it simple and nourishing and it get easier over time.

I’m accepting new clients at @onehealthservices! DM me if you’re looking for meal planning and prep help. 

#mealprephelp #mealplanhelp #springrefresh #
Mondays are our busy nights. I have tennis (so fun Mondays are our busy nights. I have tennis (so fun!) and my son has soccer. ⁠
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That's why I make sure to make Mondays an easier night for dinner. ⁠
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Enter salads and bowls!⁠
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Last Monday, I made a salad bowl with arugula, leftover rice, olives, tomatoes, chicken, and feta, and wowee it was yummers!⁠
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By prepping ingredients, the kids can take what they want and leave what they don't want (eh-hem, tomatoes) and we have a meal full of elements that will keep us satisfied and nourished.⁠
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Need meal prep and meal plan help?⁠
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I'm currently accepting new clients @onehealthservices! DM me or visit the link in my profile here @lealoucooks to chat about custom meal plans.⁠
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#mealprep #mealplanning #health #naturopath #virtualappointments #realfood #wholefood #foodmatters #holistichealth #culinarynutrition

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About Stephanie

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Hey! I'm Stephanie. I'm a Writer, Culinary Nutrition Expert and Cooking Instructor helping families cook nourishing meals. Read more about me {here}.

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