Soups Make The Best Meals (recipes posted)

White Bean Rosemary Soup and Sweet Potato Lentil Soup

I just finished testing the last soup recipe for the new cookbook before sitting to write this post.  As I type, I can smell the aromas of sauteed onions and garlic, smoked paprika, and thyme circulating through they house amongst a fresh breeze from outside.

Though it's March break here, it's not quite balmy, in fact despite the sunshine we are gifted with today, most days have been gray and damp.  I've often said that soups are just the best kind of meals.  They make the perfect vehicle for carrying uber-nutritious legumes, veggies, spices, and grains... they can be made fairly quickly... and often yield enough to feed a family for more than one meal.

Today I've posted three bean soup recipes from my cookbook eat, drink & be vegan on my recipes page.  (Yeah, only took me a couple of years to get them up there, huh?!  Actually, I did have the Sniffle Soup posted once before, but for some removed it for editing and forgot to repost.)

About a week ago, another mom from our school asked for some easy healthy recipes.  Though she's not a huge fan of cooking, she wants to get some healthier options to her family's dinner table.  We chatted about some of the foods her family likes best, with soups and beans leading the way.  As I scanned my recipes page for soups and stews, I realized that it could use a few more legume-hearty recipes there!  So, I got off my duff this morning and did the posts.  (Who am I kidding, I'm rarely "on my duff"!  Let's rephrase that by saying "I made it a priority to post the recipes".  There, that's better.)  :)

So, if you are still in some wet, chilly, not-quite-spring-like weather, strap on your apron, pull out your soup pot, and get stirring!  Enjoy.

...people who are concerned about their hearts get little benefit from switching from regular meats to lean meats, or to chicken and fish.  Some may have a reduced risk of heart attack compared to those who eat fattier cuts.  But for most, atherosclerosis will still progress and they have little chance of reversing any existing heart disease. (from Food for Life, Dr. Neal Barnard)