I love good food and so does my family, so I have found a few shortcuts that make our lives work.  The shortcuts I use don’t make me sacrifice quality or taste for speed, and that keeps everyone happy.

5 Things You Need To Make Delicious & Healthy Soup In 15 Minutes Or Less

Even when I am tired, I can convince myself to cook if it will only take 15 minutes. Below are the steps I use to create delicious and healthy soups in 15 minutes or less.  I have also included one of my favorite recipes for you to try at home.

1. Use What You Have

Want my secret for making delicious soups with almost no effort.  Well here it is, I use what I have in my pantry and my fridge.  No need to make another trip to the store, I always have at least a few items in the house I can use when I am making soup.  Leftovers that will go well, dehydrated spices or tomatoes, I add them to the soup I am making.  This simple step makes my soup look and taste like grandma’s soup without staying in the kitchen all day.

2. Add Veggies And Lots Of Them

I like fresh vegetables and I always have tons of them in my house (you can use frozen veggies too). I use tons of vegetables whenever I make soup.  They turn my simple soup into a hearty stew with minimal effort.When you are creating a soup, vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes, string beans, corn, celery, onions, peppers, squash, and carrots are all great additions .  Sauté those vegetables in coconut oil or butter until they are soft or al dente. Add those vegetables to your soup “base” to turn your soup into a hearty meal.

3. Add Leftover Meats Too

Any vegetable you use will make your soup both healthy and hearty, so don’t hold back.  Have some leftover chicken or turkey, add that to your soup too.

4. Add Herbs, Seasoning And Of Course, Garlic

Fresh herbs and garlic will give your soup a boost of flavor and it will make your soup look homemade.  Each herb you add will give your soup a unique taste, so don’t be afraid to try new things.

5. Plan Ahead For “Those Days”

Everyone has days when they are hungry, but they don’t feel like leaving the house, and they don’t want to cook.  Since you know that you are going to have “those days”, plan for them.    Make sure you have a few cans of soup in your cabinets.

I go to my local Walmart where the selection is huge and I pick up 3 or 4 cans of Progresso soup, that way I am always prepared.

Now that you know my tricks, I am going to share one of my favorite recipes.  It’s one of the easiest soup recipes I make. This soup is a crowd pleaser and it works especially well when someone is starting to get the sniffles.

JUST LIKE GRANDMA’S CHICKEN LOVE SOUP

This recipe is delicious, easy to make and it’s a real crowd pleaser. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 can of Progresso Rich and Hearty Chicken and Homestyle Noodle Soup

3 cloves of fresh garlic

1 tablespoon of coconut oil or butter

1/8 of cayenne pepper (if you want a milder version use black pepper)

1/4 cup of fresh mushrooms (optional)

Step One

Take out a sauce pan, put it on the stove and turn the heat on medium. Add the tablespoon of coconut oil to the pan and heat until it melts.

Step Two

Slice the garlic. You want thin slices that look like small disks.  The mushrooms should also be cut into thin slices or quarters, whatever you prefer.

Step Three

Add the sliced garlic and mushrooms to the pan and cook them, this shouldn’t take anymore than 5 minutes.

Step Four

When the garlic and mushrooms are done, open the Progresso Chicken and Homestyle Noodle soup and pour it in. I love this soup because of the quality ingredients. The chicken in the soup is all white meat and it’s antibiotic free. You can see the quality ingredients when you open up the can, celery, carrots and big chunks of chicken.

Step Five

Heat the soup, until it’s hot.

Add the cayenne pepper and serve.

Bon Appetit!

Here Are A Few Things To Remember

Adding fresh ingredients is an easy way to add flavor, boost nutrition and make your soup more like a stew.  It’s also a great way to use extra vegetables or left overs.

The soup is your base so don’t be afraid to get creative.  The soup is already good, you are just adding window dressing.

Create Your Own Test Kitchen

When I want to try something new, I take a little bit of whatever I am making and I put it on a plate. I take out my seasonings and go to town.  I play with the combinations until I am happy with the flavor, then I use my favorite mixture on the big batch.

I use seasonings that add flavor, but don’t add any extra salt.  For a soup like this one oregano, thyme, sage or rosemary are some good seasonings to try, but don’t stop there try some of your favorites and see what you think.

If you like more of a tomato based soup, just add a little tomato paste.[mpprecipe-recipe:1]

This is how I make delicious and hearty soup in 15 minutes or less, give these tips a try and tell me what you think.   If you have some tips that you can share, please share them below.  Pick up some Progressive Rich and Hearty Chicken and Homestyle Noodle Soup at Walmart and make this recipe at home.