One of the most exciting things that has come out of this quest for better eating (for me anyway) is the fact that I have learned to enjoy creating homemade soup! What a blessing this has become. Such a versatile, healthy meal that uses your creativity in such a delicious way.
I can remember wanting so badly to be a good soup maker when I was first married. After all, every good wife can make homemade soup, right? Not! I stunk at it and therefore, gave up. It looked so easy and after all, didn't you just have to throw everything in a pot, heat it up and that's it? Oh, how foolish I was. Perhaps my imagination got away with me..."Stone Soup" was one of my favorite books as a child. I have never forgotten that book and often recall it. And as many times as I do, I hear myself saying "...is it soup yet?" Probably more of a phrase relating to life in general as I seem to have a knack for "play on words" type communication. As I've written before, I tend to be a big picture thinker and am constantly relating various concepts together.
Like life...soup takes time. If you rush soup, you won't get the results you are looking for. If you forget a step and try to cut corners, well, it might be soup, but it won't be the true creation it was meant to be. Life is the same way. We get up in the morning and fly through our days, cramming fast food breakfasts down our throats, eating in our cars and skipping lunches because we just don't have time. We miss out on friendships and important memory making moments because we need to hurry up and get somewhere. Sadly, the end result is us falling exhausted into our beds at night, with digestive issues, depression and anxiety. Feelings of isolation and insomnia can wreak havoc on our minds as we blow through time at microwave popcorn speed forgetting to slow down and allow ourselves to be the creation we were intended to be.
My favorite new soup is a variation of a beef barley recipe a good friend gave me. I like to brown a chuck or sirloin steak and then simmer it in organic beef broth, garlic, onions and a myriad of other items and spices for about 2 days. Yes, two days! I let it cook for hours until it falls apart...then I refrigerate it overnight and then start again in the morning. After a few hours of more simmmering, I add some water, more broth and a cup of red wine to the pot, along with a cup of barley (so good for you!) and some vegetables of choice. The longer this soup simmers, the more delicious it is.!
Psalm 46:10a - "Be still and know that I am God..."
Peace.
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Making beef stew in my crock-pot is my favorite during the winter! We are blessed to have several veggie stands near us owned local growers. I go every week and buy tons of whatever they have fresh at about 1/3 the price of the veggies at the super markets (and who knows where those come from and how old they are.)
ReplyDeleteIn a few days when the veggies that are left look like they may not last much longer, I break out my crock-pot (sometimes 2!) I dredge some stew meat in flour and toss it in the bottom. Chop up all the veggies and throw them in, salt and pepper, sometimes some beans, some red wine, either italian seasonings or cumin and red pepper (depending on my mood) and in a few hours - YUM!!! It usually lasts us through the week! :)