soups! plural! oh, heaven.

I go to the flea market nearly every Sunday. I heart this flea market. Partially because I'm nosy and like to see what people had in their basements, partially because I love to people watch, and partially because it is one of the largest flea markets in the area with several large produce stalls with dirt-cheap items from the many local farms.
For some unknown reason, and, no, I'm not pregnant, I was struck with a very strong "must nest!" feeling beginning on Saturday.

The result? I purchased an obscene amount of fresh veggies and herbs from the flea market and then stopped at another grocery store for freezer-safe plastic storage containers and yogurt.

Why?
Because the nesting instinct translated to an intense need to fill my big chest freezer with soups.

And did.

Oh, and how.

Lots and lots and lots of spicy, savory, comforting soups.
Which translated into simmering pots far into the night.
Which translates into three wonderful tweak-to-your-liking recipes I want to share.

And will, starting (hopefully), tomorrow:

Spicy tomato soup: lots of tomatoes, garlic, jalapenos, peppers, yogurt, and...black olives!

Spicy black bean soup: carrots (optional), tomatoes, garlic, jalapenos, hot sauce, peppers, yogurt, and...black bleans!

Cauliflower soup: cauliflower, carrots, celery, garlic, dry white wine, a tiny bit of roux, a smidgen of sour cream, and...love!

A confession: I love, love, LOVE soups. Hot soups like the three above, cold soups like gazpacho topped with avocado and yogurt - I adore it all. Always have! And good news for those of you who say things like "I can barely boil water": soup is very, very easy. Even if "very, very easy" sounds too challenging to you, there is even better news: soup is very, very forgiving! If you add too much of X, there is probably a Y to balance it all out and bring the universe back into harmony. Plus, soups can play a very yummy role in maintaining a healthy weight. While I do keep my soups on healthy side (healthy fats, few refined carbs, low salt, lots of antioxidants), I will also provide alternatives on how to make it less healthy or more fun, depending, of course, on how you look at it :)

Soup's on!

***

Usefulness of the day: Stale bread is simply bread that has lost its moisture. A good use for a stale hunk of bread: cut into slices and place on a baking sheet (oven or toaster oven.) Spoon a little water over each slice. Top with hummus and cheese, then toast and serve with soup. Remember: a whole grain (e.g. whole-wheat bread) plus a legume (black bean soup!) = a very high quality protein.

I've heard that one can also simply put a little water over bread and microwave. I don't have one, so I can't verify. Looong story. Short story: I've gone more than five years without a microwave, and don't miss it at all.