Vegetable soups are easy to make, easy to digest, and can be an excellent alternative to a boring everyday meal. It can be a healthy evening snack too. Most people think that soups are tedious culinary work. But then you really haven't experimented much with them. It is preferable to use fresh vegetables and herbs for making most of the soups. Frozen can be substituted for fresh, in case the latter is not easily available. There are various recipes which are easy to prepare and have a great nutritional value. Basic Method Ingredients:

• Carrot, 2 cups
• Tomatoes, 2 cups (chopped)
• Rosemary, 1 tsp.
• Milk, ½ cup
• Garlic Clove, 1 (minced)
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• Water, 3 cups

Boil garlic, carrots, and tomatoes in a large stockpot with water, until they become tender. Remove from heat and puree the consistency. Transfer the carrot and tomato puree to the pot, then add milk and seasoning. Serve it hot with some rosemary as garnish. With Corn Kernels Ingredients:

• Corn Kernels, 2 ears
• Tomatoes, 4 cups (chopped)
• Vegetable Broth, 2 qt.
• Potatoes, 2 cups (diced)
• Carrot, 2 cups (roundels)
• Green Beans, 2 cups (chopped)
• White Leeks, 2 cups (chopped)
• Garlic, 2 tbsp. (minced)
• Parsley Leaves, ¼ cup (chopped)
• Olive Oil, 4 tbsp.
• Lemon Juice, 2 tsp. (freshly squeezed)
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

In a large pot, heat the olive oil on medium-low heat. Add the leeks and garlic, and stir fry until softened. Add the potatoes, carrots, green beans, and continue stirring for 5-7 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, bring it to a boil, and then let it simmer. After simmering it for five minutes, add the corn kernels and tomatoes. Season it with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer until the vegetables are cooked and soft. Remove it from heat. Add fresh parsley and lemon juice, and serve it hot. With Swiss Chard Ingredients:

• Vegetable Broth, 15 oz.
• Onion, 1 (diced)
• Parsley, 3 sprigs
• Fresh Thyme, 2 sprigs
• Onion, 1 (chopped)
• Garlic Cloves, 4 (crushed)
• Brown Lentils, 1½ cup (rinsed, drained, and almost cooked)
• Swiss Chard, 1 lb. (sliced)
• Fresh Cilantro, 3 tbsp. (chopped)
• Bay Leaf, 1
• Water, 4 cups
• Olive Oil, 2 tbsp.
• Lemon Juice, ½ cup
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

In a large stockpot, add the vegetable stock, water, ½ cup onion, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for ten minutes. Strain and reserve the liquid for soup. Add in the lentils, cover the stockpot, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until they become soft. Stir in the Swiss chard, until the leaves get cooked. Spoon in the sautéed vegetables to the stockpot with lentils. Add fresh cilantro and season it with salt and pepper. Allow it to simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Add fresh lemon juice before serving this hot broth. You can prepare the above-mentioned recipes with a variety of healthy fresh seasonal vegetables and spike them with some flavorsome herbs.