Luxurious, Creamy Soups without the Cream

While a nice bowl of hot soup is always a welcome sight during the winter months, soup really has no season for us in our family. Instead, it’s a staple for lunch or as a first course to supper. It always has been. From the time I was a little girl, I can remember my mother serving my brothers and me soup—and us eating it—nearly every single day (even during scorching hot weather!). Well, her persistence stuck. My brothers and I continue to be “good soup eaters” thanks to her example. And this is a good thing. Soup is a great way to eat your vegetables, beans, and grains. And because it’s eaten by the spoonful, we tend to take our time eating it, thereby giving our bodies time to realize were full and making us less apt to overeat. Although I love most soups, creamy soups were never particularly attractive to me. I never liked it that the cream often masked the flavor of the vegetables (I really love vegetables), and I don’t care for that creamy feel that hot soup leaves on my palate. Besides, I’d rather save my saturated fats for ice cream!