What could be better than making some homemade soup with farmer’s market produce on a Sunday afternoon in the fall?  Making it for friends who just had a baby!

For 9 months you’ve known that the day will come, but what happens when it does?  You’ve given birth and now you’re home with a newborn.  Suddenly, you feel as if you don’t have time to shower, sleep, or eat.  This can be an overwhelming time but can be eased with the help and support of friends and family.

Friends of ours recently had a baby and it reminded us of where we were a year and a half ago – so grateful to have friends and family to help us with laundry, food prep and letting us get some much needed naps.

With this in mind, we wanted to help our friends out with some nourishing food.  I spent a good part of last Sunday making double batches of two yummy and nutritious fall soups: Lentil Kale Soup (adapted from a Deborah Madison recipe) and a Sweet Mama Butternut Squash and White Bean soup (taken straight out of my mama’s creative brain).  The aroma of fall filled the house as I simmered onions and baked squash, as fresh produce transformed before my eyes into delicious soup.

It felt wonderful to bring our friends soup, knowing that they could eat it now or freeze it for later, and knowing that we had helped to nourish them as they focused on nourishing their new son.  Soups are a wonderful way to use whatever ingredients you have on hand, and are a great way to plan some meals in advance by making big batches and freezing some for later.  They’re also great for sharing with friends, new parents or not.

If you don’t have a community of friends and family in your area and the thought of eating healthfully with a newborn sounds daunting, remember that planning ahead and freezing is a great option.  While you still have some energy, cook some soups, pot pies, lasagnas – whatever you love, and freeze them in single portions.  Then you’re freezer will be stocked with healthy options that require no more than reheating.  When baby comes, you’ll be good to go!

Peace, love, and wellness,

Xandra