Potato Brocolli Soup

It is cold so why not make soup! I like to make a big batch so that we can eat it for two or three days and than I also freeze a container of it, so that if we get sick we have homemade soup ready to go!!

1 onion
10 or 15 potatoes (I use 3 different varieties, so that the taste is awesome!)
2 or 3 sweet potatoes
2 or 3 small heads of broccoli
four or five cloves of garlic
Vegetable of chicken broth need about 40 fluid ounces
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
Cheese (optional) for garnish

1. Peel half of the potatoes.
2. Cut half of the onion into small pieces. Saute with a little olive oil. When onions are golden brown add about 20 ounces on broth to the onions.
3. Add pealed potatoes and bring mixture to a slow boil.
4. Cut half of the broccoli into small pieces and add the broccoli with the potatoes and broth. Cook mixture until all potatoes and broccoli are soft.
5. Puree mixture with a food processor or blender until in this smooth.
6. Once mixture is smooth return it to the pot.
7. Peel sweet potatoes
8. Cut sweet potatoes, the rest of the potatoes unpeeled, and the other half of the onion, and garlic in an oven roasting pan.
9. Roast potatoes, onions, sweet potatoes, and garlic at 350 for about twenty minutes are until potatoes and sweet potatoes are soft.
10. Add the rest of the broth to the pureed mixture and than added the roasted mixture.
11. Cut the rest of the broccoli into bit size pieces and than add it to the pot. Bring mixture to a soft boil, and boil for five minutes.
12. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder
12. Bring mixture to a slow boil.
13. Serve into bowls and garnish with your favorite kind of cheese. You can always leave out cheese if you want less calories or you have dinner guests over that are vegan.
(You could also put a little bit of crushed bacon on the top as a garnish if you like!)

Enjoy

Tips to Save

One thing that I do is freeze!! I love to go berry picking in the spring and summer and than in fall and winter you can make smoothies, pies, crisps, or even just have berries for your pancakes and oatmeal. In general picking saves a lot of money. In Eugene off of River road I have found a 100% organic loyal strawberry patch. They charge $11.00 for a bucket that fits 7 to 8 pints. Also you can eat as many as you want when you are in the field, so go for breakfast!! Blackberries are free in Oregon. I Suggest that when you go pick you try and find a place that is away from highways, so that the berries are as free from sprays and toxins as possible. I also freeze summer squash, freezer jam, peppers, carrots, bread, soup, spaghetti sauce, and meat.

Buy in bulk. It saves money and the environment. The store I buy my bulk from lets me bring my own container, so I do not have to use bags. They just weigh the contains empty for me :) I then write the weight on the top of the jar, so that next time I do not have to ask them to weigh it for me. Love it, Sundance Grocery in Eugene is an awesome store!

Plan meals!! One of the biggest mistakes that people make is that they do not plan out meals for the week. Try to look through what you have and what is on sale and eat accordingly.