I really should be studying for my last exam today, but let’s pretend that, by taking a break, I’m somehow consolidating and committing that information to memory.
One of the big changes for me this semester was learning how to feed myself. Typically, when left to my own devices, I will eat granola bars, yogurt, peanut butter out of the jar, apples/oranges and cereal. They’re quick, they’re easy, they transport well. On the rare days when E didn’t prepare all three of my meals, eating like this wasn’t so bad. But, I figured that a semester of that nonsense would result in some serious malnourishment, so I begged E for lessons before I left. I have to say that I haven’t put most of what he taught me to good use (around week four, I gave up and added “grain + frozen veggies” to my quick, easy, transports well diet), but I have been making some pretty simple/awesome soups.
The beginning is always the same: Sweat down an onion with salt. Then I add in whatever kind of soup it’s going to be and water (pipe stock, as they say in the industry). Then I ignore it on the stove for about an hour, season it (if it needs it – E was very good about teaching me to use salt. Hypertensive crisis you might say? Delicious, I say), let it cool, blend it to perfection (I used to mock E for his fancy food processor, but when my broccoli cheddar soup came out looking like broccoli nachos, I went out and bought a blender).
Here are the soups I made: Top left – broccoli cheddar, top right – butternut squash, bottom left – beet, bottom right – cauliflower. There was also a pretty awesome black bean chili, but I ate that before I took a picture of it (not for lack of opportunity – I literally ate that every day for two weeks straight).
If you’re interested in learning more about E’s views on soup, go here.
