On a cold and dreary day, we love nothing more than a bowl of homemade soup. Throw in a comfy blanket and a glow from the fireplace – you’ve got an afternoon that cozy winter dreams are made of.
We’ve found that every good soup begins with good broth. And the best way to get good broth is to make your own.
Homemade broth gives soup the sort of deep flavor that takes time to develop (but thanks to meal planning, it’s something you can make ahead and store in the freezer).
Besides flavor, when you make broth with things like bones, feet, and tough pieces of cartilage – it has an almost medicinal quality. Folks claim that a well-made bone broth can soothe painful joints, reduce cellulite, and heal an inflamed gut.
While delicious on its own, you may want to bring in a loaf of homemade sourdough bread with a thick crust to sop up your favorite soup. Or – if grains are off the menu – some yuca plantain flatbread.
Meal plan
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Timeline
Over the weekend
- This is a great time to prepare all of the stock in preparation for the upcoming week. While each recipe may request it’s own type of stock, in most cases they can be used interchangeably, substituting chicken stock for turkey and using chicken or turkey stock in place of vegetable stock. For this week’s plan you will need to prepare about 8 quarts of your favorite stock.
- Roast a turkey (or chicken if you’d prefer).
Monday
- With the stock you made over the weekend and the turkey you prepared, you are well ahead of the game to putting together the Classic Turkey Soup.
Tuesday
- In the morning, if bought frozen, thaw the wild shrimp in preparation for the Seafood Bisque. Once the shrimp is defrosted the Seafood Bisque is ready for preparation.
Wednesday
- Since the stock is already made whipping up the white bean chili is quick and easy.
Thursday
- In the morning, soak the raw cashews. They should soak for about 4-6 hours then you are ready to prepare the carrot ginger soup.
Friday
- Defrost the bacon in the morning in preparation for making the sweet and spicy bacon sweet potato Soup.
Shopping list
Vegetables and herbs
- butternut squash – 1
- carrots – 13
- celery – 4 stalks
- cilantro – 1/4 cup
- fresh ginger – 2 tablespoons
- fresh herbs – 2 cups
- fresh thyme – 1 teaspoon
- fresh thyme – 1 sprig
- garlic – 2 heads
- green onions – 4
- jalapeño pepper – 1
- kale – 1 bunch
- lemon – 1
- lime – 1/2
- onions – 5
- orange – 1
- parsnips – 4
- red pepper – 1
- sweet potatoes – 2 1/2 pounds
Meat and seafood
- bacon – 4 slices
- chicken stock – 2 gallons
- cooked turkey – 4 cups
- crab meat – 1/2 pound
- turkey stock – 2 quarts
- wild shrimp – 1/2 pound
Spices
- bay leaf
- chili powder
- chipotle pepper
- coarse sea salt
- dried mint
- fennel seeds
- ground allspice
- ground black pepper
- ground cinnamon
- ground cumin
- Italian seasoning
- paprika
- peppercorns
- red pepper flakes
Vinegars and oils
- coconut oil
- extra virgin olive oil
Frozen food
- frozen corn – 1 1/2 cups
Eggs and dairy
- butter – 3 tablespoons
- cheddar cheese – 4 ounces
- thick yogurt – 1/2 cup
Grains, legumes, and flours
- raw cashews – 1 cup
Sweeteners and Baking Supplies
- arrowroot – 6 tablespoons
- maple syrup – 2 teaspoons
Canned and jarred goods
- coconut milk – 1 cup
- cooked cannellini beans – 6 cups
- diced tomatoes – 14 ounces
- vegetable stock – 1 quart
- filtered water – 12 tablespoons
