Bean Soup

A good standby meal is to have dried beans handy to make soup. I keep a bag of mixed beans and taco mix (forgo the seasoning that comes with the beans). Thrown together in a crock pot it makes a great winter meal together with cornbread (you can usually pick up cornbread mix for under 50c) or make your own cornbread





Or buy individual types of beans (soak overnight first)

Bean Soup
1/4 cup white beans
1/4 cup kidney beans
1/4 cup split peas
2 tbsp barley
2 tbsp parsley
2 tbsp dried onions
1 bay leaf
2 teasp. powdered beef broth
Cook in crockpot
Optional: Can of tomato soup or tomatoes

Soup

Keep a container in the freezer for leftover vegetables. Periodically use to make soup.

Add to the vegetables a can of tomatoes (I use the Italian seasoned ones), water, a stock cube, and dried beans for protein (soak beans prior to adding). Cook either on the stove or in a crock pot. If you don't use Italian seasoned tomatoes, add seasoning. Thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt and pepper are usually good additions. Taste first, before adding salt as the stock cube contains sodium.

In the summer, after cooking, put the soup mixture in the blender and refrigerate. Drink cold.