For this week’s edition of Stretch Your Food Dollar, I thought I’d offer the third link in the lunch equation. We’ve already talked about sandwiches and salads. So why not talk about soups to round out the trio? Soups are a great way to get a mid-day dose of comfort food. Plus, they’re quick, cheap, and easy to prepare. You can throw a recipe in the crock pot before work and come home to a nice meal, then pack up the leftovers in containers and store them in your freezer. They’re perfect for those mornings when you’re running behind schedule and don’t have time to make a sandwich. Just grab your bockey from the freezer and you’re out the door.

One of my favorite all-time soups is French Onion Soup. A close runner up is homemade Mushroom Soup. This classical recipe is budget friendly and health conscious at the same time. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Mushroom Soup
(Makes 4 servings)

2 oz butter or margarine
2 oz onion, finely minced
6 oz mushrooms, thinly chopped
1 1/2z oz flour
24 oz chicken or vegetable stock, hot
8 oz milk, hot
salt and pepper to taste
1 oz mushrooms, sliced and sauteed

1. In a large saucepan, sweat the onions and mushrooms but don’t brown them.
2. Add the flour and make a light roux.
3. Whisk in the stock and bring to a simmer. Let this simmer for 10-15 minutes.
4. Puree the soup in the food processor and strain.
5. Add enough milk to bring the soup back to consistency. Heat it but don’t bring to a boil.
6. Season to taste. Finish with sliced mushrooms.

This pairs nicely with crackers, but you could also bring a slice or two of good bread in your lunch. It’s so simple, and yet it’s really delicious. If you’re vegan or lactose intolerant, all you need to do is use rice or soy milk and you’re set.

I’ve gotten several e-mail inquiries about making tempeh and seitan at home, so in the next two weeks I’ll be sharing some recipes with you. If you’re curious about other food topics that you’d like to see us discuss at Queercents, feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments or shoot me an e-mail at serena@queercents.com.

Photo credit: stock.xchg