PREPARE: RECIPE #7

Start by making your vegetable stock using any leftover veggies you have—carrots, zucchini, potatoes, onions, leeks, whatever you’ve got! Wash them well, toss them in a pot, cover with water, and bring it all to a boil. Let it cook for at least 30 minutes. Once it’s ready, strain out the veggies (don’t throw them away—you can eat them with a little olive oil and salt).

While the stock is cooking, prep your leeks and potatoes. Cut off the green parts of the leeks, peel away the first one or two outer layers, and then slice them up. Peel the potatoes and chop them into thick slices, then into small cubes.

Now, heat some olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and stir them around for about 5 minutes until they soften. Then, throw in the potatoes and cook them for another 5 minutes while stirring.

Pour in your homemade vegetable stock, season with salt, pepper, and a bit of thyme, and bring everything to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and let it cook for about 30 minutes.

Once the potatoes are soft, blend everything into a smooth soup. If you don’t have a blender, you can mash it with a fork or a potato masher—it’ll take longer, but it works! Keep the soup warm while you make your croutons.

For the croutons, finely chop your favorite spices and mix them together. Cut up some old bread into small cubes, toss them in a bowl with the spice mix and some olive oil, and give them a good stir. Cook them in a pan over medium-high heat, stirring often, until they turn golden and crispy.

Serve your soup with the crunchy croutons on top. If you have leftover vegetable stock, pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze it—you can use it later for other dishes. And if you’re short on time, you can totally use store-bought vegetable stock, whether it’s liquid or in granules.