Fresh

At some point in the winter everything starts to taste muddy to me. The easy nature of stews and casseroles means a whole lot of rich blended flavors.  But at some point I tire of all that melding and depth of flavor and just want something that taste fresh.  Something where the individual ingredients have some integrity and even some crunch in contrast to those tender roasts and velvety sauces.  Since January is rarely an inspiring time of year for me (I tend towards tired rather than refreshed once the excitement of a New Year passes), I had to borrow a recipe.  Stealing from StellaCarolyn (and therefore whoever gave her the recipe) I made this delicious soup.  My tweaks?  Instead of chicken I used a can of rinsed drained roman beans.  I almost never have cooked chicken in the house and I like having some meatless options in my repertoire.  I'm sure it's delicious either way and just the thing to get you out of that winter rut.