Acorns soup recipe

I have been asked to put this post again; it seems appropriate as it is Harvest Time and this soup is getting more and more popular, thanks to my lovely assistant Gity who makes it for my group sessions and for other leader's groups too!


Acorns parent and Child's soup recipe, which has been passed down from Kindergarten to Acorns, not quite modified or re-adapted, but rather changed and slightly distorted, as in a recipe Chinese Whisper!
It has never been written down, by us in Acorns, nor 
Greenwich Steiner School, as far as I know! I am sure there is a recipe in one of the Steiner books somewhere...

I am slightly reluctant writing this down, so I do it with the knowledge that you understand 
two things: it will be similar but never exaclty the same as Susannah's soup, now, Gity's soup,
and for this reason, each soup is unique and the product of one or two or more kitchen fairies! 
The second thing is that this is an ever changing and quite flexible recipe as it needs to change according to the season and ingredients available!

I have one rule of my own: I do not put nightshades in with the exception of an occasional potato or tomato, but for sure, never aubergines and mushrooms. I simply do not like them in a soup! Perhaps sauteed or grilled but not swimming in broth! It's a personal thing!

So, for the Acorns soup there are different options: with grains added at the beginning or at the end; this depends on how long the grain needs cooking.

As for quantities, this soup fills the pot and it is a sharing soup, I do not 
measure anything and it should feed the whole group - avarage number of people, 15!

Barley and vegetable 
soup:

Sautee 1 onion in sunflower oil
Add  pearl barley - about one cup
stir and 
add 2 chopped carrots, 
add a bit of water and a bay leaf
add root vegetables such as half a swede, cubed
turnips,
a parsnip, sliced/chopped or cubed
add some golden beetroot
or some butternut squash
and/or some sweet potato
all root vegetables cut small
stir
add more water
cook for 15 minutes
add some more water
add leeks, sliced
maybe add greens such as kale, cabbage cut or shredded small
parsley
marigold boullion, I like the orange top one or the purple-reduced salt- 
about one large tablespoon
switch off and cover with lid
serve after about 10 minutes, so is cooler for little mouths!

Vegetable 
minetrone soup

Sautee 1 onion or 
two shallots in some olive oil
add chopped carrot, a stalk or 
two celeri, finely sliced
stir until they start sweating a bit
add 1 potato cubed ( could be a sweet potato)
add water- about 2 litres
add chopped/cubed butternut squash 
1 red beetroot
cover and simmer for 15 minutes
then, add leek, cabbage, broccoli or peas, 
or all of above!
add some garlic
add some tomato passata (optional)
or some fresh chopped plum tomatos without skin
at this point it is optional to add some red lentils or cooked chick peas towards the end of cooking.
some herbs, like basil oregano and parsley
marigold boullion, about a tablespoon
add some more water if necessary (already boiled from kettle)
and a packet of pasta around 250 gr or a bit more- up to 400gr
this could be short pasta or baby pasta stars, which take only 5 minutes cooking time, or 
maccheroni, penne or even spaghetti-rice noodles- but broken in small pieces - I often add 
rice or millet pasta or corn kamut or quinoa pasta when I want a wheat free 
soup, and it is lovely- the best brands are Biona, La Terra e Cielo, Bioidea, 
but also supermarket own brands of wheat/wholewheat or wheat free pasta are 
good, my favourite one ( being a fussy Italian) are the Marks and Spencer's 
pastas.
Stir and simmer for a further 5 minutes and switch off and cover
the soup will rest a bit and you may serve it with bread and butter after 10 minutes

Hope you enjoy these recipes and 
please, if you have any recipes send them in!
Sometimes parents 
bring lovely soups at the outdoor group, and I would love those 
recipes!

Susannah