Soups for Fall

As the leaves start to change and the sweaters are unpacked, you know fall has officially arrived! This time of year is packed full of fun activities like apple picking, carving pumpkins and let’s not forget about this upcoming holiday season! With all these busy activities and changing weather, it can be challenging to find time to put together a meal. Soup may be the perfect meal to serve to your family this fall!

Soups are simple to make, packed full of nutrients and delicious! You do not need any fancy equipment. Just a pot, a variety of vegetables and some broth. To make an easy chicken noodle soup, start cooking veggies in the pot with a little bit of olive oil. Next, add chicken, broth, and herbs and let it simmer! Throw in some whole grain noodles and you will have soup in no time! By simmering vegetables in broth with lots of herbs you can create a meal that is packed with flavor but low in fat and salt.

This fall try to add some local, fresh produce to your soups. Some great fall produce includes: Apples, pears, beets, butternut squash, broccoli, cabbage, radish, kale, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and parsnips.

Have a favorite soup recipe that doesn’t have these veggies? Try adding some in! Soups are very flexible and you can have fun experimenting and being creative! You can even use canned broth and canned or frozen vegetables. If you have leftover soup, store it in the freezer for a quick meal on the next cool fall night.

Here is an example of a soup that features many seasonal fruits and veggies, go ahead and give it a try!

Apple Parsnip Soup

Servings: 8

Ingredients: 

4 apples, washed, peeled, cored and chopped
4 parsnips, washed, peeled and sliced
1 large sweet potato, washed, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, washed, sliced in large chunks
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried sage (optional)
8 cups low-fat or fat-free milk

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix vegetables, oil, salt, pepper, and sage (if used).
3. Place vegetables in baking dish. 
4. Bake vegetables for 45 minutes. Let cool.
5. Add vegetables to blender, in batches, with milk and blend until smooth.
6. Put soup in large pot and warm for 15 minutes until heated through.

More great recipes to try out this fall:
Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Minestrone Soup

Squash Vegetable Soup

Vegetable Lentil Soup