Simple Soup Maker’s Kitchen
Let’s solve this mystery once and for all. Don’t let those gourmets fool you. You really don’t need a lot of fancy cookware or specialty items to make soup. In fact, the soup is great for every day, easy to make, and affordable for ANY budget. Have you ever heard of stone soup? It’s a wonderful story that tells how simple soup really is. In fact, soup evolved as a catchall for leftovers from this and that. Now you can get pretty fancy if you want with soup, but let’s stick to the simple things here: everyday food for everyday people.
Pots and pans
You could get away with just a good size (6-8 quart) pot of soup. Of course stainless steel is better or even cast iron will do. You want to stay away from pans that contain aluminum or Teflon, as these have been associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other brain disorders. I’d say the full range of pots I use for soup includes a small (2 quart) pot for quick noodle soups or a roux, a medium 4 1/2 quart pot, and a large 6 quart pot, depending on who comes to dinner, how much my ingredients will swell, and if I am going to cook for a week or a day; a sauté pan (but you could do it right in the pot and keep all the delicious flavors in one place).
A crock pot is great for those long winter days if you have to go to work or ski or “board the rad pow”, and you want to have a pot of soup when you get home. I broke crock pots and quickly bought a new one at the thrift store! So budget shouldn’t be a limiting factor here… after all, it’s reuse before recycling, right?
cutting gear
Have you ever noticed that you may have a drawer full of knives, but you always grab that favorite? All the years that I have been preparing and cooking (and there have been many) I still have my favorite knife that has gone everywhere. You need something good to cut vegetables without making it too much work. It can be a kitchen knife for you or something bigger. Always be very careful and use a knife you are comfortable with. I have a paring knife that I like, medium serrated, and a large one that I adore (family heirloom) that I always have to watch my fingers and pay attention with, but I love how it cuts my vegetables for soup and salads.
Bottom line: use a knife you like, sharpen once in a while, pay close attention when cutting!
Refrigerator – Products
We are very lucky to have refrigeration, it offers many options to preserve and enjoy a wide variety of products. The base of my soups always starts with the many varieties of onions, potatoes, garlic, ginger, and carrots. Some of these may not need refrigeration depending on the climate and temperature of your home. See how they are stored in the market and do something similar.
Among the vegetables I always take coriander, parsley and spinach home; I love having them on something every day. Beyond these basics, you can get into the more sophisticated vegetables such as mushrooms, kale, collards, squash, collards (several types), tomatoes, parsnips, turnips, beets…and more…
Pantry – Grains, Beans, Pasta, Herbs, Oil, Spices
In your pantry, keep a supply of your favorite Super Immunity herbs and spices. I order mine by the pound through my local co-op; you will have to discover your best resources and use them. Most health food stores have a good section of herbs and spices in bulk (fresher and better for the cost/environment than the small jars).
Get yourself a supply of beans and grains that you like. Rice, quinoa, and amaranth are some of my favorite grains to add to soup. I’ve found that most dried beans, even at the grocery store, sprout when soaked, so you can use those or go to the health food store and get organic (better for you and the Earth). Lentils, black beans (same benefits as red wine), and pintos are some of our favorites around here; we always soak at least 12 hours to start the germination process, drain the water (important), then add fresh water and cook for 6-8 hours to make a great soup, with greatly reduced digestive stress.
Keep some noodles in your pantry – Rice noodles are a good way to stay away from the wheat that many people are allergic to (because there is so much of it in our culture). But find what you want among the smaller pastas and save them for quick soups. Even ramen packets without a message can be used as a base and fresh vegetables added for a healthy “quick meal.”
Olive oil and natural soy sauce will get you started with a good soup base and you can expand your seasonings from there as you learn about additional ingredients like miso and Umeboshi plum vinegar.
Well, if you start by stocking your kitchen as described above, you’ll be well set up to make yourself quite a few pots of soup. Take action now, keep learning, find out what you love, and feed yourself and your loved ones in a way that protects your health and immunity.