I hate wasting food, it is one of my pet peeves. I only buy enough for the week but sometimes life has you on a roller coaster and you don't get to eat all those fresh veggies laying around in your fridge so what can you do - make soup of course!

My honey is a chef and he is notorious for buying a ton of fresh veggies so that he has whatever he desires on hand and when I say a ton, I mean a TON. So when I looked in the fridge today I was shocked, so many veggies on their way out! A little brown spot here, mold starting to grow at the stem there, some yellowing kale. When did all these veggies get here and how could I possibly use them all up!

Soup is one of those things that really hit the spot and warm you from the inside out. Its also a great start to a detox or an excellent addition to increase your vegetable consumption especially in the long winter months.

This soup can be adapted to whatever you have on hand but I think there are a few key elements to a great soup. Here are my suggestions;

Always use a wide variety of colors and textures
Saute the veggies first in order to bring out their flavor.
Season those veggies before pouring in your broth.
Don't go light on the seasoning but watch your salt usage.
Don't be afraid to try other things besides vegetable broth - add a little wine, use miso paste, through in a little cider vinegar or splash a bit of soy sauce in there to provide depth.
Simmer longer instead of boiling for a shorter amount of time.
Add any quick cooking items right at the end.

I hope that you enjoy this as much as I am!

A Little Bit of Everything Vegetable Soup

1/2 Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

1 Onion, Sliced

8 Garlic Cloves, chopped

3 Celery Stalks, chopped

3 Turnips, peeled and cubed

1 cup baby carrots, halved

4 Tomatoes, chopped

1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and minced

3 tbs Olive Oil

1 tbs Italian Seasoning

1 tsp Oregano

1 tsp Parsley

1 tsp Ginger

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1 tsp Dried Seaweed

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

3 tbs Soy Sauce

4 cups Vegetable Broth

4 cups Water

1 cup Spinach

1 cup Kale

Add olive oil to a large stock pot over medium high heat. Chop and dice all vegetables. Add to the pot and saute for 5 minutes until softened. Add the spices and saute another minute until fragrant. Add the soy sauce and the vegetable broth slowly. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce, cover and simmer until vegetables are cooked through about 30 to 40 minutes. Add the spinach and kale. Salt to taste. Enjoy and Healthy Eating!

Brrrrr, it is so very cold out right now, for days the temperature has not made it over 22 degrees. It seems even more poignant after having spent a few days down south soaking in the sunshine and then being thrust back into the realities of the Northeast.

Although the weather is not ideal I have been trying to make the best of it and spent a snowy day in NYC with the best group of friends, we ate, we drank, we were merry and we definitely trudged through 6 in of snow! When I came home on Sunday, as my friend stated, with a happy heart and a heavy brain, I knew that I desperately needed the warming properties of soup as well as a mini juice cleanse.

When I perform a juice cleanse I prefer to consume only juice, water, and herbal tea throughout the day and end with a light vegetable meal. During the winter months, soup is the perfect option since it can be filled with tons of nutritious veggies and is also easy on the digestive tract. This soup, with its addition of quinoa, kidney and garbanzo beans is a little heartier than I would normally consume during a juice cleanse but I knew that this cold weather (it's 10 degrees right now) would require a little energy boost to keep me going.

The benefits of making your own soups are endless, you can control what you add to the pot, this particular soup has very little salt as it is tomato based and dinner is set for the week. Soup also takes very little effort to make, you simply throw a bunch of stuff in a pot and let it simmer, this darling consists of onion, garlic, tomato, butternut, kale, quinoa, beans and a few spices thrown together. What is your favorite soup on a cold night?

Vegan Butternut Squash, Kale, and Quinoa Minestrone Soup

1 Onion, roughly chopped

3 Cloves Garlic, chopped

1 Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and spiralized or cubed

2 tbs Olive Oil

2 tbs Oregano

2 tbs Basil

2 tbs Parsley

1 tbs Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

2 14.5 oz cans Stewed Tomatoes

7 cups Water

1/2 cup Quinoa

2 cups Kale, chopped

1 14.5 oz can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 14.5 oz can of Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed

Salt to taste

In a large stock pot heat 2 tbs of olive oil over medium high heat, add the onions, garlic, and butternut to the pot, cooking for 5 minutes until the garlic is pungent. Add the spices and cook for another minute or so before adding the stewed tomatoes and water.

Bring to a boil and add the quinoa, cover and reduce the heat to simmer cooking for 20 minutes or until the quinoa and vegetables are tender. Add the kale and beans, cooking until warmed through. Ladle into bowls adding salt to your liking and enjoy!