Soup's on.

Soup puts the heart at ease, calms down the violence of hunger, eliminates the tension of the day, and awakens and refines the appetite.

 Auguste Escoffier

Good morning everyone.  What a day we had yesterday!  Rain and wind.  Over 3 inches of rain.  That's a lot.  So glad I decided to stay in.  Definitely going to get out today.  Need to get some fresh air....and a bit of walking exercise since I didn't get to my classes yesterday.   

Thinking about having some nice hot and spicy soup for dinner tonight. I love experimenting with spices and have become quite adept at throwing a soup recipe together.  The good news is that in January Weight Watchers started its new Freestyle program and increased their list of 200 0 point foods which includes chicken and all kinds of beans.  Bean lover that I am, I've discovered many creative ways to incorporate them into recipes.  Plus, since I am now only eating meat and poultry a couple of times a week with the rest of the week  a vegetarian menu, bean dishes add some much needed protein. These '0' point soups also allow me to get back on track when I've treated myself to some of my favorite goodies like this weekend when I not only had a slice of pizza, but an ice cream as well. That's the good thing about Weight Watchers though.  One can eat whatever they want in moderation. 

The following is one of my favorites. Made a huge pot and froze the rest for another day....like today.  Sorry.  The bowl was half empty before I remembered to take a picture.

Spicy Harissa Bean and Spinach Soup

Lots of ingredients and lots of great taste.  

1 can small red beans
Spinach (I used frozen, but you can use fresh if you want)
Carrots
Celery
1 can diced tomatoes
Garlic
Onion
Sweet peppers
Harissa spice
Thyme
Basil 
Oregano
Coriander
Red pepper flakes
4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar 

I can make up recipes, but I am not a very good recipe writer.  That's because I just add everything to taste.   I just provide the basics.  Amount of seasonings are up to you.  (Note:  All spices I used are dried.  You can use fresh if you like).