As life is returning to that buzz phrase ....the new normal, many will be rejoining the morning merry go round of the early busy commute and returning home after a long day.
Working from home for many has been a turning point.
Much depends on the type of job, the travel factor and home circumstances and of course the employer.
I would imagine those who have families, and have to juggle commuting, organizing child care and school may opt for the relative flexibility of working from home, whilst others may prefer the company of office colleagues and feel they are more a part of the work place setting if they are based at a central location..
Regardless of place of work, providing food can be challenging after a hard day.
It`s easy to grab a quick ready meal and with the help of a microwave produce food very quickly.
Ready meals can be wonderful...who hasn`t enjoyed tucking into gourmet food with no effort attached? However they do tend to have a high salt content and may have a variety of chemical additives, and they are also expensive.
My answer to the ready meal is Soup!
I feel soup is totally under valued. It ticks so many boxes on so many levels.
1) It is easy to prepare.
2) It is cheap to make.
3) Soup can be made from just about anything.
4) It can be made in advance and frozen.
5) It can be eaten at any time and is a great lunch box filler or snack.
6) It is nutritious.
7) You are in control of what goes into it.
8) It is generally low in calories.
9) It can cook whilst you are work.
10) Making soup is a great way of using up left overs.
I make soup from a variety of things I might have in the fridge, and the method is pretty much always the same.
I start by assembling everything I need.
The first thing to have is a good stock. Around a litre for around 4 generous servings.
Stock can be made by boiling up a chicken carcass or ham bones to give a flavoursome base.
However, stock can be made quickly by using stock cubes or bought in the supermarket.
The soup base might include pieces of chicken, fish, or ham.
Some oil or butter is needed to cook and saute the ingredients.
Plenty of vegetables (around a kilo) are next, including onions and perhaps potatoes.
Additions such as well washed rice, pasta, lentils or barley are useful to add substance.
Seasoning can include salt, pepper, garlic, spices and dried herbs. Chorizo is a popular addition.
Soup can have milk, cream, cheese or wine added. This is generally done just before serving.
This recipe is for a basic mixed vegetable soup with the addition of anything you may have in the fridge such as chicken or ham. It can have endless variations such as using a specific vegetable such as mushroom, broccoli or cauliflower.
Adding rice, barley or pasta thickens the soup and makes it more sustaining.
*Slice up any meat and vegetables.
*Heat some oil in a good size, preferably heavy base pot.
*Lightly cook any uncooked meat or fish until slightly sealed and lightly coloured. Put to one side.
*Gradually saute the vegetables for a few minutes until they are soft. This is important as it brings out the flavour.
*Add the cooked meat / fish along with the stock.
*Spices, garlic and dried herbs can be added at this stage to allow the flavours to develop.
*Bring to the boil and SIMMER on a low heat for about half an hour.
*Personally if it`s a vegetable soup I like to leave it simmering slowly and the longer the better!
*Rice or pasta can be added towards the end of cooking time.
*Make sure it is well seasoned.
*The soup can be liquidized or eaten in its more rustic state.
Once the soup is cooked, it can be eaten straight away or cooled and stored in the fridge and reheated as required.
Generally soup will last for 2 or 3 days in fridge.
One of the advantages of using a slow cooker is that it is ideal for making soup.
For speed, I generally seal the chicken/ham and the vegetables in a large pot, add stock and bring to the boil then transfer to the slow cooker.
Bring soup to the boil on High setting, then reduce to Low setting, or Very Low setting if being left all day. No more than a simmer.
Cooking soup in a slow cooker means that it will be ready for your return and requires minimal further attention so is indeed a ready meal.
Hungry children love it and it is so much healthier, filling and cost effective than crisps and snacks.
I have used a very basic recipe to show that quantities are just for guidance. Roughly a kilo of vegetables to a litre of stock which should give at least 4 servings.
There is very little to go wrong when soup making. Just remember to taste it whilst cooking , especially before serving as if using something like ham which is salty, you wont want to add much more salt.
Spices and garlic can be added at the beginning of the process and increased if required. Fresh herbs can be added at the end of cooking.
If you are using tomatoes in soup, add a little sugar which will take the edge off any acidity.
If you want a thick hearty soup, add potatoes and rice or pasta.
If soup tastes too salty, add a little lemon juice or yogurt.
If adding milk or cream, it is a good idea to heat them first to prevent any curdling.
It isn`t necessary, but many people saute the vegetables which take longest to cook first such as carrots and leave lighter vegetables till last.
If freezing soup, leave out the pasta and add it once the soup has thawed and is being reheated.
There are endless recipes available on the internet so pick out a few and try them!
You can become very adventurous by using different spices and flavourings and experimenting with hearty soups such as minestrone and sophisticated ones such as seafood bisque.
Have some crusty or garlic bread to accompany the soup and you have a delicious ready meal!
Happy soup making!
Opt In for for updates!