Soup-er

It’s not easy to list your good qualities and I’m not about to start. I will say that I am not a whiner. Whether it’s pain,emotional or physical, or discomfort, I have a high threshold. This serves me well in the ski season. My husband always says, referring to our kids, “skiing will toughen you up, anyone can sit on a beach.” Let’s just say on Sunday, I was craving some beach time. I was wearing many layers and hand warmers, cashmere socks and a neck gator and I was still cold. I may have even whined a little. I didn’t whine that much though because I didn’t last that long. It was bitter and windy, the tips of my fingers couldn’t grip my poles…aren’t you jealous of our ski weekends?

My husband was not cold (and was so proud of this fact) and my boys do not finish until 12:45 so I headed home for a bit to warm up. I wasn’t ready for lunch but I was ready for warmth. I scanned our soup selections and perked up when I saw something I hadn’t tried before.  It was this:

I poured some of this French Onion Soup into a pot and heated it up.  I would normally have been giddy with anticipation was I was still thawing.  I cut a couple of thin slices of Cabot Reduced Fat Cheddar and changed out of my many layers. When I came downstairs the soup was simmering. I poured it into  a Le Pain Quotidien bowl and took a seat at the kitchen counter. I am an onion soup lover but it’s hard to imagine French Onion Soup without Gruyere and bread. This soup has neither bread nor cheese but it also has only 30 calories per cup. I held the soup to my mouth and tasted it. It was delicious. I had a bite of the cheddar cheese and for a minute really felt as though there was nothing better. Here was a 30-calorie, organic, gluten free version of one of my favorite, high fat, gluten-y foods.  I will say this soup is high in sodium. I would keep your serving to a cup or cup and a half.  My cup of Pacific’s French Onion soup turned my day around. Anyone can sit on the beach.

What activities do or did you do as a child that “toughen you up”?  What are your favorite ways to warm up, a fire? A certain type of clothing? Seat warmers in the car? And what are your favorite supermarket soups?