Nettles are one of the first weeds to emerge in the spring and can quickly take over your yard if you turn your back on them. Now you can make good use of them. They are a very nutritious food: high in trace minerals and more nutritious than spinach. They have a diuretic property, so…

I know, I know.  Sauerkraut Soup just doesn’t sound good. But trust me, this is one of the tastiest soups you will ever have. Your family will be asking for more. Ingredients: 2-3 cups chicken broth ½ onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves 2 Tbsp Olive oil 1 Tbsp dill weed 2 carrots, peeled and chopped…

Broth (also call stock) is a mineral-rich infusion made by boiling bones along with vegetables, herbs and spices. Every five-star restaurant has a stock pot of broth simmering on the back burner, ready to use in their best recipes. It has been a mainstay of human diets for centuries because it is such an inexpensive…

I can’t decide what the best part of this recipe is—that takes less than 10 minutes to prepare or the yummy combination of blue cheese and buffalo wing spiciness. Try this recipe just once and it is sure to become a family favorite. The recipe calls for canned navy beans, but of course, if you…

It’s asparagus season and hopefully you have more than you know what to do with and are able to share with family and friends. I use only the very top 5-6” of the spears. If any of the remaining stem is still tender, I save it to either dehydrate or make Cream of Asparagus Soup.…

Want a great way to use up left-over turkey? Or how about you just want to make a yummy soup to warm the soul on a winter day? This is the soup for you. Try it once and you’ll be making it again and again. Ingredients: Soup 1 Tbsp olive oil, plus 1-1/2 to 2…

There is nothing food-storagey at all about this soup, but I have to share this recipe from my friend Laura Dallman, because it is such a good, hearty soup. It is commonly served during the holidays here in the Dakotas and Minnesota. Laura brings it each year for our Thanksgiving dinner and we LOVE it.…

This was my most popular soup when I was cooking for our church youth trip. Everyone asked for seconds and there were no left-overs. This recipe and my Chickpea Stew recipe are two big reasons I grow tarragon in my herb garden. Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 cup diced onion…

Lemon and tarragon give this easy-to-make soup a bright flavor. If you use canned chickpeas, it cooks up in less than 20 minutes. But I recommend using chickpeas you’ve cooked yourself–the flavor and texture are far better. Just soak 2 cups of dried chickpeas in 4 cups of water overnight. Bring to a boil and…

Our family loves this creamy golden-colored soup. Served with hearty bread, it makes the perfect meal on a cold autumn day. If you don’t have Jerusalem artichokes, just about any root will do: parsnip, turnip, rutabaga or even radish. Ingredients: 1 pound Jerusalem artichokes 2 Tbsp lemon juice 2 stalks celery 1 medium onion, diced…

This recipe makes good use of all those long-keeping vegetables that you have overwintered in your basement or garage. Use any vegetable that you have on hand. Choose vegetables for color contrast for a more colorful soup. Ingredients: 4 C winter squash (any variety), peeled and cubed 2 Tbsp olive oil ¼ tsp cayenne, or…

You thought radishes were just a garnish for salads and vegetable plates, didn’t you? Think again. This creamy, spicy soup is the perfect way to use up the radishes from your garden on a cold fall day. Ingredients: 1 C red lentils 3 C water ¾ – 1 lb radishes ½ onion 1 Tbsp olive…

Don’t throw that Easter ham bone away! Even if it has just a tiny bit of meat left on it, there’s still plenty there to make a nice soup. I especially like ham cooked with navy beans, but any variety will do. This makes 6-8 servings of soup and each serving has 2½ servings of…