Simple comfort colcannon (potato and kale) soup (Provided photo — Yvona Fast)

March has gone out like a lion. The past week brought chilly, damp, wintry weather: snow, ice and rain. It’s a good time for enjoying warm, comforting soup.

During the past few weeks, I’ve attended Lenten Soup Wednesdays at St. Luke’s Church in Saranac Lake. The first supper only had two soups; the last week of March, there were five to choose from (or try a little of each)! Mulligatawny, tomato bisque, mushroom barley, colcannon and split pea with ham.

During Lent, many observers choose simple foods. Some abstain from meat and other products. Soups can be made with almost anything, so they’re adaptable to special diets. Can’t eat dairy? Can’t have gluten? Want vegetarian or vegan? You can make a soup that will go along with your dietary needs.

Soup fills you up and helps you stay hydrated. It’s a great way to incorporate vegetables into your diet. It provides nutrients without an excess of calories. Long-simmering soups made with fresh, natural, seasonal ingredients are delicious and healthy.

One of man’s oldest culinary inventions, soups have been with us for over 12,000 years and are part of almost every culture. As soon as people learned to use pottery to make containers that could hold liquid on the fire without breaking, they began to mix different vegetables with meat, beans, grains and seasonings, and cook them to create simple, filling, nutritious meals. The English word soup derives from the French sope or soupe, which in turn has its roots in the Latin verb suppare, to soak.

Many cultures are familiar with soup’s life-sustaining, healing qualities. No matter what part of the world you hail from, your grandma probably made pots of homemade soup.

Soup is what your mom made when you were sick. She had a pot of hot soup ready when you came home from playing out in the snow. Soup was served when you were feeling sad or under the weather.

Soup is warm, soothing, nourishing, satisfying. You don’t need to chew it. It’s the ultimate comfort food.

What’s your favorite soup?

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Krupnik or Mama’s barley mushroom soup

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This and bean soups were staples during the hungry times during World War II.

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Ingredients:

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2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 large yellow onions

12 ounces mushrooms, any type or a mixture

3 cloves garlic

Seasoning salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 quarts broth, or water, or part whey

1 bay leaf

1 cup pearl barley, rinsed

1/3 cup black lentils, optional

4 medium carrots

1 celeriac, or 4 stalks celery

4 medium potatoes, peeling optional

Other vegetables (I had green beans on hand so I added those)

Other fresh or dried herbs of your choice (marjoram, dill, rosemary)

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

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Directions:

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In a Dutch oven or large kettle, heat the oil. Peel and chop onion, and add. Cook about 5 minutes while you slice the mushrooms (including stems), and add along with the butter. Cook 5 minutes more. Peel and mince the garlic, and add. Season with salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Rinse barley and lentils, and stir in. Slice or chop carrots, celeriac or celery, and potatoes. Stir into the boiling soup and simmer until everything is cooked and soft, about 40 or 50 minutes. Add herbs; taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add parsley.

Just before serving, stir in about 3 cups milk and heat to just before boiling. Sprinkle with fresh minced parsley and serve.

Serves 10 to 12 1-cup servings or 6 2-cup servings.

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Simple comfort colcannon (potato and kale) soup

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Perfect for chilly, dreary days.

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Ingredients:

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1 medium onion

4 large potatoes

6 slices of bacon

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 or 2 stalks celery

1 or 2 carrots

1 quart (4 cups) chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 bunch kale, or more

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Directions:

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Peel and dice the onion. Set aside.

Peel and dice potatoes. Set aside.

Chop 6 slices of bacon. Place in bottom of soup kettle and cook to render some of the fat. As soon as there’s enough fat for vegetables not to stick, add the potatoes and onions. Cook 5 to 10 minutes. Stir every few minutes, to make sure it is not sticking.

Peel and mince the garlic, and add. Slice the carrots and celery, and add. Cook 1 to 2 more minutes, then add the broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.

Strip the kale from the stems and chop it coarsely. Add to the soup pot and cook until all the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Taste, and adjust seasonings. Add salt, pepper, and paprika as needed.

Serve hot. Garnish with shredded cheese, if desired. Diced cooked ham can be added for extra protein.

Serves 4 to 6.

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Easy minestrone

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Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, peeled and diced

4 stalks celery, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

1 teaspoon salt

About 2 quarts water or broth

2 carrots, sliced

2 cups green beans, cut up

2 cups canned tomatoes

1 tablespoon basil

1 tablespoon oregano

2 cups ditalini or other small pasta

1 can garbanzo beans

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

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Directions:

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In large stockpot, heat olive oil to medium heat. Add onion and celery, and cook about 5 minutes. Add finely minced garlic, salt, and water; bring to a boil. Add carrots, green beans, and any other vegetables you have on hand, lower heat, and simmer about 20 to 30 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, garbanzos, and return to a rolling boil. Add pasta; cook about 10 to 20 minutes or until pasta is done. Stir in parsley and Parmesan cheese. Serve hot in bowls, with salad and fresh Italian bread.

Note for busy mothers: You can do most of this early in the day, in stages if necessary. Just before serving, bring soup to boil, add pasta, and proceed with directions. While the pasta cooks you can throw together a salad, slice the bread, have the kids set the table, and dinner is ready in about 15 minutes.

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Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: writing and cooking. She can be found at www.yvonafast.com and reached at yvonawrite @yvonawrites.