Soup Chick®

Asparagus soup with mint pistou, from More Than Burnt Toast

Val, of More Than Burnt Toast, created this asparagus soup with mint pistou in honor of Earth Hour, and though that celebration occurred in March, it's still not quite asparagus season here in Rhode Island. To me, asparagus signals the real start of Spring, and I want to be ready with lots of soup recipes, so watch for them here over the next few weeks. This one takes advantage of the early sprigs of mint that have started to appear in the garden (where the snow has melted). What a perfect combination of flavors.

Slow cooker cabbage soup with chicken apple sausage, from Simple Nourished Living

If you're trying to lose a few pounds, soup can be your best friend. If you're trying to gain a few hours in your day, the slow cooker can be your best friend. Simple Nourished Living's slow cooker cabbage soup with chicken apple sausage (though any super-lean, rich-in-flavor sausage will be great), makes it easy to stick to your diet by freeing up your time, so you can take a walk while the soup is cooking. Cabbage went on sale at my market this week, just in time for St. Patrick's Day, so I bought an extra head, and I'm going to try this soup.

Thai vegetable stew, from Kahakai Kitchen

Sometimes, in the cold and snow of a New England winter, it helps to imagine myself on a beach in a warm country, like Thailand. The next best thing? A bowl of this Thai vegetable soup from Kahakai Kitchen. Filled with vegetables and the fragrance of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, cilantro and Thai basil, this vegan and gluten-free stew gets its creaminess from coconut milk. If you want to stretch it a bit, add some rice noodles or chunks of tofu.