What's for dinner?

This is a question that could be perceived in a burdensome, obligatory way. As someone who does most of the cooking in my house--and I love it--sometimes I feel bored or uninspired and those nights are perfect for the taqueria down the road, or the gyro place, or even Nashville's finest: hot chicken. But when you're trying to eat healthy and cook mostly at home, there are some things that you can do that are easy, warm and tasty--and pretty healthy too. Like a soup of whatever happens to be in the fridge. Tonight it was a mire poix of carrots, onions, garlic and celery. I added some fresh ginger that needed to get used, and a lonely parsnip that got left behind, some chopped tomatoes, and a can of Health Valley canellini beans. I seasoned it with salt and pepper, a few pinches of crushed red peppers, oregano, a pinch of rosemary and a pinch of cumin, let it cook only about 20 min, took out my favorite new toy (the immersion blender!) and pureed the whole thing, added a dollop of creme fraiche I had from a recipe over the weekend, and that's it! It was delicious. With a grilled cheese sandwich on seeded bread on the side, it was the perfect last-minute winter meal. Homemade soups are the bomb. Canned soups just can't compare. And since I'm all about cooking with fresh, seasonal ingredients, my conscience wouldn't let me open a can of soup. I love a hearty soup that I've made from scratch.