Winter soups - great comfort food..

There is nothing more soothing than coming home late, when it is cold and warming up a nice bowl of soup. Autumn and winter are the times when I make a lot of soups.  Good hardy, meat and veggies soups....  They can be low carbs for us, and adding some grains (cooked separate) or adding nice whole grain bread.  For us – to make it thicker – I add some flax meal (in a bowl). Though watch how much you add – too much and get too thick and kind off slimy… I often use the flat-out bread. ½ of one, I would “nuke: it for one minute and then crumble into the bowl of hot soup.   
I made a good soup last night. I really like cooking... but the cleaning after is what gets me..
the pots and pans and the stove... not sure how I got some of the soup on my cabinets... etc.  All mess... It took me 1 hr to make 2 gallons of soup... and 2 hrs to clean the mess...

BTW: I make the soup using some good, organic vegetables, mostly non-starchy (cabbage, celery, green beans, leaks, peppers, etc,) but will also add some more "hardy" veggies- like red beets, or some carrots, etc.  For people who can eat beans - adding a can or 2 of beans will provide a great source of proteins and fiber.   I use a lot of herbs and spices - including garlic and ginger... Adding the spices - makes the soup hot and very warming, and increasing digestion and metabolism...

Then I take clean jars and fill them with the hot soup.  And invert them.  I use that like “canning".  Place it in a fridge and the soup shall last 2-3 weeks with no problem.  The hot soup locks the flavor and keeps the air out of the jar preventing spoilage.   Some soup – kept in a fridge in a pot may last 2-3 days.  Freezing is also an option, but that may make the veggies a bit too soft for me.  I do like nice crunch… Adding a bit of quinoa (grain) is also an option for me. Any other grain causes too much cravings for me.  But the possibilities are there. 

Watch for more “carby" veggies… as good as they taste, they may add the extra carbs to the daily plate, and some of us may be more sensitive to them. 

Hala:

I enjoy soups and homemade chili in the fall and winter months too.  I make a crockpot full each time but it only lasts about two days at my house once the crew comes in to eat.  Just reading about your soup has may me crave it for dinner tonight.  To bad I have already made tuna salad.  I think I will make a pot tommorrow.

Hala,

It sounds wonderful!  Finishing off my 5 day pouch diet, a bowl of homemade soup will certainly "hit the spot".  I will add to my menu for the weekend.

Thank you for the great suggestions.

 I love, love, love soup and chili during the winter.......  YUM!

Oooh great suggestion!  I love making (and eating!) soup but had forgotten just how good and tasty they can be while being low cal at the same time.  Thanks for the reminder - the pot will be coming out tomorrow.