Even though it hit 90 degrees yesterday, I made soup.
I like mine really chunky – start off by sauteeing a bunch of carrots, celery, and onion in some olive oil over high heat
After a few minutes, add some chopped zucchini (each veggie layer gets some fleur de sel and pepper)
Then the pantry goods – seasoned diced tomatoes, garbanzo beans, a box of Low Sodium Veggie broth, a bay leaf, and a TB each of Cumin and Coriander
Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until it’s time to eat (we waited up to an hour)
Our friends Mora and Joel brought over a beautiful kale salad with pine nuts, potatoes, and cranberries with Meyer Lemon dressing and fresh lavender …
… they also picked up a huge baguette from Salades de Provence …
… which I cut up for the table …
… enjoyed a piece with the soup …
… and another with the delicious salad …
For dessert, there were still some DeLuscious Cookies thawed from the freezer that I hadn’t tried yet – the Ginger flavor:
Served with Vanilla Ice Cream
It was good – crisp on the edges but not in the middle, though it probably could’ve been softer – perhaps if it hadn’t been frozen? The sugar crystals on top reminded everyone of the Pepperidge Farm Ginger Cookies we grew up eating.
I also had a Trader Joe’s Triple Ginger Snap (with another scoop of ice cream) – just to compare …
… of course, DeLuscious won that battle easily.
Lots of soup and leftover bread – I combined it all to make an instant Ribollita
and froze it all in a Ziploc (so you can lay it flat) for a colder time…
Cocoa is definitely not a summer evening drink, but I have my habits…
I plan on eating more weather-appropriate meals for the Summer Food 2010 Project later this month – if other bloggers want to participate, check it out – the more the merrier!!! Any recipe suggestions?
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Soup in the summer, I’m a big fan!
Soup in the summer is great! I love veggie filled ones like yours! I’m going to go check out the Summer Food 2010 Project, it sounds interesting.
p.s. I bought a fig yesterday! I have yet to eat it though
Is the Summer Food 2010 through Foodbuzz? I need to fax in the contract still!
Still haven’t tried kale – next time I go to the grocery store, that’s my first stop.
No it was started by these LA podcasters. You should check it out!
I have been craving soup for days now! I think soup in the summer is perfectly fine! Yours looks perfect!
Ooh, I love your chunky soup! I’ll have to bookmark this and try that someday. Although I’m not a huge fan of celery, I don’t mind it in soup. Looks fantastic!
I’m surprised you left the ginger cookies till last.
Bread and soup are staples in my house….even if it is 90 degrees outside. There is something so comforting and filling about a big bowl of vegetable soup. I loved seeing that skinny loaf of bread…nice and crusty, perfect for dipping!
Your soup sounds so good, unlike the one I made a couple weeks ago. I’ll have to try your recipe!
Combining the leftover soup and bread is so smart!
Do you have the Kale salad recipe? (I heart Kale salads!)
chopped kale, pine nuts, almonds, potatoes (boiled and mixed with butter/lavender), dried cranberries – tossed with a vinaigrette of meyer lemon/salt/pepper/EVOO
Weirdly enough, yesterday and today I’ve had a strange craving for some cheap Chinese porridge from San Woo or phoenix inn, even though it’s nearly 100 here and I’m sweltering! I might just wait until this evening to go pick some up. It’s so weird, I haven’t had Congee (sp?) for almost 3yrs, and now I’m craving it in this heat!
Ack!
Also, would you attempt cold coco? (ie: serendipity style?)
Hot is very soothing though before you go to sleep…
I eat soup in the summer all the time. Sometimes you just want soup!
I like sandwiches for hot summer dinners, no turning on the stove for me.
I like all the vegetable you put into your soup, looks very healthy.
Your soup looks so good! Love all of those colorful veggies. Sometimes I feel like eating cooked, warm food in the summer, even when it’s hot.
I think summer is a great time when fresh veggies are in season. I have a great vegetarian soup that I often make up…that’s pretty similar to yours. I sent Christy the recipe a while back. I’m a big fan of potato leek soup too…at any time of the year.
I’m beginning to believe your freezer is a gold mine.
Yummo! All your gorgeous photos make me want to run home and start cooking (and eating!). I’m tickled that Actor’s Diet is participating in “Summer Food 2010 Project” posts – the more, the merrier!
Soup is a year-round thing for me. There is just something so satisfying about soup, even the making of it! Not to mention that ACs are cranked up so it actually feels like winter in my house half the time, haha.
What about the whole genre of cold soups? Vichyssoise is good- also gazpacho! And melon soups…
Soup is a great meal anytime in my books! I could have soup everyday and have seriously dreamed of owning my own soup restaurant. This one looks delicious and so colorful.
Oh and I made your spinach and egg dish the other day! Deeelicious, plus I added some mushrooms I had lying around.
i’m so glad the recipe worked out – mushrooms sound like a great addition!!!
Everytime you post about those cookies, I get closer and closer to ordering some.
yum, your soup looks so tasty. i love good veggie soups although i have been relying on blended soups and dals lately. we should start a soupmania in the blogosphere!