Improvised Summer Soup

*Really* Local Summer Produce!

A few months ago, I got a 25% off coupon to try out a new organic grocer delivery service called Greenling. (It’s sort of a cross between a CSA share and online grocery shopping.) After breaking down the cost for a basic produce box, it seemed a little expensive, but hey! They bring it to me, which in 105+ degree temps, sounded pretty appealing. The coupon pushed me over the edge to give it a try. Verdict? I like it. The produce is premium quality, locally grown (MUCH smaller carbon footprint than getting bell peppers from Holland!), and after reassessing, the total price is considerably than the national grocery chain organic produce. I’m in. 🙂

The fun part about a produce box is figuring out what to make rather than deciding what I *want* to make and then going out and shopping for ingredients. Watermelon? Easy! Slice and eat. Field peas? What the heck is a field pea? After hitting the interwebs, I concocted the following recipe. It’s literally a dump-and-pour and I was surprised at how good it turned out!

Summer Field Pea Soup
1 cup fresh field peas (I got a small sandwich bag full of fresh peas)
chicken broth OR veggie broth to make this vegetarian
1 summer squash, chopped into 1″ chunks
1 carrot, sliced into 1/4″ coins
1 red jalapeno, deseeded and diced
1 16-oz. can Muir Glen Chipotle Char Roasted Tomatoes (nom nom!)
1 heaping tablespoon ground cumin- Go light if you don’t want the soup too spicy!

Rinse the beans and toss out any that look nasty. Place in a medium-size pot and cover with water. Simmer for one hour making sure the water doesn’t boil off.

Add the chicken broth, veggies, cumin, and can of roasted tomatoes. Cook for an additional hour periodically giving it a stir and making sure there is enough liquid to not scorch on the bottom of the pan. Serve with flatbread crackers and fresh fruit for a super simple and tasty dinner.