Cream of Something Soup

My soup recipe project is well underway. I love cream soups, so finding a low sodium, low saturated fat and cholesterol, low sugar solution has been on my mind for some time. I started by creating a recipe for Cream of Tomato Soup Base, now I am experimenting with variations. The fact that these little packages of soup base sit in my freezer ready for a quick and easy lunch is just up my alley. The only sodium in the soups comes from the one teaspoon of White Miso that I add after heating it up in a bowl, only 250 mg of sodium, it adds a lot of flavour.

My next experiments will be Cream of Spinach Soup Base, and Cream of Mixed Vegetable Soup Base.

Suggestions for future variations welcome!

Maggie’s Cream of Tomato Soup Base
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup whole wheat or all purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 can or litre of tomatoes, pureed
Melt butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, add flour, pepper, salt, and baking soda. Mix well and cook for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, mix well, cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Divide into eight 1/2 cup measures.
To make cream of tomato soup, add 1/2 cup of the soup base to a bowl, add 1/2 cup of milk, stir to mix well, heat to desired temperature in microwave. This base and milk may also be combined in a saucepan and heated on the range.
I will freeze the portions of base. On the days I want to have cream of tomato soup for a quick lunch, one portion can be put out on the counter to thaw in the morning!
NOTE: After preparing a bowl of soup, mix in 1 tsp of white miso, takes the flavour to the next level!

Variations:

Cream of Mushroom Soup Base
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup whole wheat or all purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 tbsp garlic granules
Smidgin of thyme ??? Try it
1/8 tsp salt
250 g mushrooms, washed and diced
2 onions, chopped fine
2 cups vegetable broth
Sauté onions in butter, add mushrooms, sauté. Add flour, pepper, and salt to pan, mix thoroughly. Add vegetable broth, heat through, stirring constantly. ½ cup base per cup of milk to make soup… good with 1 tsp miso per serving, just before serving.

Cream of Broccoli Soup Base
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup whole wheat or all purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1 tablespoon garlic granules
1 teaspoon basil flakes
½ heat of broccoli
2 cups vegetable broth
Cook broccoli until soft, cool, puree.
Melt butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, add flour, pepper, salt, garlic and basil. Mix well and cook for a few minutes. Add vegetable broth, heat through, stirring constantly. ½ cup base per cup of milk to make soup… good with 1 tsp miso per serving, just before serving.

The weather continues to amaze, but not delight.

The temperature dipped below freezing last night. Attila covered our vulnerable plants with plastic sheets, then blankets. By this afternoon we will know what survived the night. Tonight it is supposed to be even colder, so the same plant-saving routine will be followed.

I saw one daffodil blooming in a south facing garden this morning during our walk. Two miles, passing many, many flower gardens, and only one daffodil brave enough to weather the weather. It was a sight for sore eyes I can tell you!

Worldly

Weather

3°C
Date: 11:00 AM EDT Monday 20 April 2026
Condition: Partly Cloudy
Pressure: 102.5 kPa
Tendency: Rising
Temperature: 2.5°C
Dew point: -9.4°C
Humidity: 41%
Wind: NW 16 gusts 28 km/h
Visibility: 24 km

Quote

“With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.”
Steven Weinberg
1933 –