5 Easy & Delicious Winter Soups to Warm Your Soul

There’s nothing quite as welcoming and warming as coming home to a hot bowl of homemade soup. Whether it's an old family recipe jam-packed with organic herbs and spices, or a medley of vegetables thickened with a sprinkling of organic flour, there’s nothing quite like a bowl of homemade soup to warm your soul and nourish your family.

One of the many things we love about winter soups is their versatility. A giant pot of organic soup made over the weekend can be divided into several containers and frozen, then quickly defrosted for a quick and healthy dinner – talk about quick and easy meal prep! If you’ve never made organic homemade soups before, it’s not too late to start – below are a few tips plus five simple delicious organic soups you can make this weekend.

ORGANIC INGREDIENTS

Organic soups are packed with high-quality, nutrient-dense ingredients that help promote optimal health. From farm-fresh vegetables to sustainably sourced proteins, organic beans and lentils, each spoonful delivers a wealth of vitamins and minerals which is essential for growing children and active adults. By opting for organic soups, you're providing your family with the best nature has to offer. Make a large batch over the weekend and add to your weekly winter recipes list.

Simplicity Meets Satisfaction: Preparing organic soups is a breeze, especially when using a slow cooker. Simply toss in the ingredients along with a generous sprinkling of organic herbs and spices and let your slow cooker work its magic. In just a few hours, you'll have a steaming pot of goodness ready to dish up and serve to your loved ones. It's an effortless way to ensure everyone enjoys a flavourful, satisfying meal without spending hours in the kitchen!

Versatility for Every Palate: When you make soup from scratch at home you can cater to all your family – including their tastes and dietary needs. From classic chicken noodle or a hearty organic beef soup with organic tomatoes as a base to creamy mushroom bisque, there's literally an organic soup recipe for everyone! Experimenting with various organic herbs and spices allows you to customise each batch – even better, get the whole family involved so they can be a part of the process, creating their very own organic soup combinations.

Budget-Friendly & Eco-Conscious: Contrary to popular belief, organic soups can be incredibly budget-friendly. Buying organic ingredients in bulk and utilising seasonal produce (as well as your left-over organic vegetables in the fridge), can significantly reduce costs, allowing you to stretch your grocery budget further. Adding in simple organic ingredients such as organic beans and lentils and organic tinned tomatoes helps bulk out soups and add vital nutrients to your meals. Preparing organic soups using ingredients from your own garden or local farmer’s market also supports sustainable farming practices and helps reduce your carbon footprint, making it an eco-friendly choice for your family and the planet. That’s a win-win in our world!

The Ultimate Comfort Food: Nothing beats curling up with a warm bowl of soup on a cold wintery day. It's the ultimate comfort food that brings the family together for a shared mealtime experience. Depending on the ingredients you use, your homemade soup can also help boost your immune system – that’s another big plus!

PANTRY STAPLES

Before you start, make sure your pantry is stocked with these organic soup staples so you can get creating quickly:

• Organic Tomatoes
• Organic Lentils Organic
• Organic Beans
• Organic Coconut Milk or Cream
• Organic Herbs & Spices
• Celtic Salt
• Organic Stock
• Organic Olive Oil

GET COOKING

Try these hearty and wholesome organic soups below, perfect for those cozy evenings spent with your family.

• Roast Pumpkin Soup
  
• Sweet Potato Curry Soup
• Spicy Tomato, Lentil and Chickpea Soup

Kumera & Lentil Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups organic vegetable stock
• 1 large organic sweet potato, chopped
• 1 large organic carrot, chopped
• 1 x 400ml can Organic Brown Lentils
• 2 organic garlic cloves
• 2 tsp organic ground cumin
• 2 tsp organic turmeric
• 2 tsp organic ground coriander
• Salt and pepper to season

METHOD:

1. Add all of the ingredients to a large saucepan.
2. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Allow to cool slightly before blending with a hand mixer or high powered blender until smooth.
4. Serve hot with your favourite toasted bread. Enjoy!

Quinoa, Amaranth, Roasted Tomato & Bell Pepper Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 230g organic whole ripe tomatoes
• 1 medium organic red bell pepper (capsicum)
• 1 large organic brown onion
• 2 organic celery sticks 
• tbsp Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp organic fennel seeds, toasted
• 4 cups (960ml) organic salt-reduced vegetable stock
• 1/3 cup Organic Red Quinoa
• 1/3 Organic Amaranth Grain
• 1 cup water
• Flaked salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Organic flat-leaf parsley to serve
• Organic olive oil to drizzle

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line a flat baking tray with kitchen baking paper.
2. Cut the tomatoes in half, and place them into the baking tray. Quarter and deseed the bell pepper (capsicum), and place the pieces onto the tray. Bake for 1 hour or until the bell pepper is soft, turning the vegetables once during cooking.
3. When the vegetables are ready, remove them from the oven. Place the bell pepper pieces into a plastic bag to cool (this will allow them to sweat a little, which makes it easier to remove the skin), before taking off the skin. Place the tomato and bell pepper flesh into a blender jug and mix until smooth.
4. Finely chop the onion and celery. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the onion, celery, and fennel seeds. Reduce the heat to low, and cook the mixture for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pureed tomato and bell pepper, as well as the vegetable stock. Cover and bring the soup to the boil over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa and amaranth, and cook the soup for 40-50 minutes or until the grains are tender. If the soup begins to thicken too much, add extra water 120ml at a time. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve the soup topped with parsley as we as a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

TIP: To toast the fennel seeds, preheat a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the seeds and cook for 2-3 minutes or until they are fragrant and lightly browned.