In the fall, one of my very favorite things to eat is a lovely bowl of hoemade soup.  It's tasty, filling, and usually pretty healthy.

But for some reason, people are intimidated by the idea of making soup.  However, it's generally quite easy, especially if you use store-bought broth.  Though I still make homemade broths from time to time, there are plenty of low-sodium and non-fat broths available for purchase.  And they are usually on sale in the weeks around Thanksgiving, so it's a good time to stock your pantry.

To start your homemade soup, saute your aromatics (chopped onion, garlic, leeks, celery) in a bit of oilive oil.  Add at least two quarts of broth and your chopped veggies (whatever makes you happy.  Start with the harder veggies like carrots and potatoes before the ones that cook faster, like corn, peas, or grean beans.)  Bring to a boil and then turn back the heat until the veggies are cooked.  Add the chopped cooked meat.

(If you are using raw meat in the soup, in a stock pot or other large pot, pour at least two quarts of broth then drop in the cubed beef or the chicken breasts or thighs or tenders, and cook until the meat is done. If you used larger pices of meat, pull them from the broth and let cool slightly before shredding or cubing. Add the aromatics to the broth and continue as above.)

Add fresh herbs, greens, pasta, or noodles last because they don't take long to cook. 

If you want to be extra fancy, you can take a few cups of soup out of the pot and food process it (or use an immersion blender) to make the soup smoother.  Salt and pepper to taste and you're done!

Easy peasy.