I actually grew up with soup at the table almost every day. It was a staple and it was as common as rice. It was more important to finish than rice too because of the nutritional benefits. See, it wasn’t just any soup, it was mom’s soup. It was made with thought, care, and as cheesy as it sounds, love. Sure, I couldn’t always taste these characteristics and sometimes I plugged my nose to drink it (ginseng and medicinal herbs are pretty bitter to a child’s palate), but I did it.
In an Asian (typically Chinese) household it’s how you start every meal and often end it. It is a way to warm the body and also a way to help digest. Often the soup is made with a lot of thought. It isn’t necessarily about what flavours go together, but more about balance of ingredients, health benefits and seasonality. Ingredients are chosen according to weather and the person it is intended for. I can appreciate the traditions and complexities of it now, but as a kid, I just wanted canned American soup… I’m serious.
I could be dating myself, but it was popular then! Okay so I wasn’t alive when Andy Warhol’s soup piece came out, but I was around when convenience was key. It was all about fast, and of course tasty, but taste came in the form of high fat, lots of sodium, and even sugar depending on the flavour of soup. In a way it still does, but times are changing and the planet is getting happier, if not at least more socially aware and conscious.
I could be dating myself, but it was popular then! Okay so I wasn’t alive when Andy Warhol’s soup piece came out, but I was around when convenience was key. It was all about fast, and of course tasty, but taste came in the form of high fat, lots of sodium, and even sugar depending on the flavour of soup. In a way it still does, but times are changing and the planet is getting happier, if not at least more socially aware and conscious.
I’ve had my fair share of canned soups. Yes, I don’t judge my mother for allowing them in the house. She was a busy woman and she never made Western soups. She loved them, but the recipes weren’t part of the culture she grew up in.
Back then priorities and eating habits were arguably different (on a grand scale), and companies like Happy Planet didn’t exist. Luckily it does now though, because if I were to buy a pre-made soup at the grocery store, I’d start here.
To be honest, I’m not too familiar with packaged soups and I love cooking from scratch, but one thing that hasn’t changed from then and now, is time. There is never enough of it; and their soups are meant to save you time.
I’m not a mother, but I wouldn’t feel guilty serving it either. Their fresh soups are family friendly and even easily prepared by all ages. You can read all the ingredients and they are transparent with their ingredients and sourcing. The soups are fresh – they contain no preservatives, artificial ingredients, colourings or anything that you can’t pronounce or need to look up, which is wonderful.
Besides being socially responsible and having “slow food” mentality when creating “fast food” options, I have to give credit to featuring Canadian ingredients in their locally-inspired soups.
I tried their Chatham Carrot & Ginger soup with coconut cream and curry made from carrots grown in Chatham-Kent, ON. I also tried the Chilliwack Broccoli & Cheddar soup with fresh cream and garlic made with broccoli grown in Chilliwack, BC. Both won this year’s Canadian Grand Prix New Products Awards.
The newest locally inspired fresh soup is the organic Kawartha Chicken Noodle with orzo, parsley and a pinch of thyme. The 100% organic chicken is from the Kawartha Lakes region in Ontario and it’s used in their new gluten-free Thai Chicken soup as well. The Kawartha Chicken Noodle with orzo was actually my favourite of the three locally-inspired soups I tried.
While the locally-inspired soups are admirable, the line up of Happy Planet globally inspired fresh soups is exciting. I know it sounds contradicting, but I’m about quality and cultural celebration in all forms.
I tried the 100% organic Louisiana Sweetcorn and Red Pepper Soup which I found most flavourful of the soups I tried. I also love sweet, savoury and a bit spicy so there was a nice balance and gentle heat. You can always add more spice too!
I knew Happy Planet as a juice and smoothie company, but they’ve grown into much more than that. I still have nine more soups to try before I finish their entire soup collection, but you might beat me there! And here’s why…
Follow Me Foodie’s Happy Planet Fresh Soup Giveaway:
Enter to win Happy Planet Soups for a month.
I’m giving away ONE MONTH of Happy Planet fresh soups.
(in the form of 30 soup vouchers to be mailed to the winner of the following contest.)
Locally-Inspired Fresh Soups:
- Kawartha Chicken Noodle Soup *New*
- Chatham Carrot & Ginger Soup
- Chilliwack Broccoli & Cheddar Soup
- Fraser Valley Mushroom & Mascarpone Soup
Globally-Inspired Fresh Soups:
- Thai Chicken Soup *New*
- Thai Coconut Soup
- Indian Split Pea Soup
- Mediterranean Minestrone
- Tuscan Tomato Soup
- Moroccan Chickpea Soup
- Louisiana Sweetcorn & Red Pepper Soup
- Santa Fe 4 Bean Chili
- Berkeley Butternut Squash Soup
How to enter:
1) Comment on this post with 3 Happy Planet Soups you want to try.
or
2) Tweet: RT and follow to enter! Win ONE MONTH of @TeamHappyPlanet soup from @followmefoodie! #freshsouplove http://bit.ly/1q2UDRa
or
3) “LIKE” the Follow Me Foodie Facebook Fanpage and comment with 3 Happy Planet Soups you want to try.
CONTEST CLOSES December 1, 11:59PM.
Terms & Conditions:
1. Contest open to Canadian residents.
2. FollowMeFoodie.com retains the right to approve entries.
3. Prize not negotiable, cannot be exchanged or taken as cash.
4. Allow 15 days for prize delivery.
5. If winner does not respond within 30 days of the closing date of the contest another winner will be selected.
This post was sponsored by Happy Planet. The views and opinions expressed in this blog, however, are purely my own.
Kawartha Chicken Noodle Soup
Chatham Carrot & Ginger Soup
Fraser Valley Mushroom & Mascarpone Soup!
I would love to try the santa fe chili, Split Pea and thail chicken! Thanks for the chance!
Santa Fe 4 Bean Chili
Chilliwack Broccoli & Cheddar Soup
Kawartha Chicken Noodle Soup
I would like to try: Chatham Carrot and Ginger soup, Chilliwack Broccoli and Cheddar soup and Tuscan Tomato soup.
So hungry reading through the list right now! I want to tryThai Chicken Soup, Thai Coconut Soup and the Indian Split Pea Soup. Mmm
Fraser Valley Mushroom & Mascarpone Soup, Tuscan Tomato Soup, Indian Split Pea Soup
I would like to try the Chilliwack Broccoli & Cheddar Soup, Thai Coconut Soup and the Fraser Valley Mushroom & Mascarpone Soup
I’d love to try the Chilliwack Broccoli & Cheddar Soup, Louisiana Sweetcorn & Red Pepper Soup and Berkeley Butternut Squash Soup. Hope I win.
Chilliwack Broccoli & Cheddar Soup
Indian Split Pea Soup
Mediterranean Minestrone
I’d love to try the Kawartha chicken noodle, the Berkley butternut squash, and the Fraser Valley mushroom & mascarpone soup!
I’d like to try:
1) Louisiana Sweetcorn & Red Pepper Soup
2) Fraser Valley Mushroom & Mascarpone Soup
3) Thai Coconut Soup
I would love to try Kawartha Chicken Noodle Soup, Thai Chicken Soup , and Moroccan Chickpea Soup.
I would love to try Fraser Valley Mushroom & Mascarpone Soup, Berkeley Butternut Squash Soup, Kawartha Chicken Noodle Soup
I’d like to try Fraser Valley Mushroom n Mascarpone Soup, Thai Coconut Soup, and Berkeley Butternut Squash Soup!
I would like to try :
-Thai Chicken Soup
-Santa Fe 4 Bean Chili
-Chilliwack Broccoli & Cheddar Soup
🙂
Indian Split Pea
Tuscan Tomato
Chilliwack Broccoli and Cheddar!
Love these soups. I’d like to try Santa Fe 4 bean chili, Berkeley butternut squash an Indian split pea.
Kawartha Chicken Noodle
Kawartha Chicken Noodle
Moroccan Chickpea Soup
Louisiana Sweetcorn & Red Pepper Soup
Chilliwack Broccoli and Cheddar, Mediterranean Minestrone and Louisiana Sweetcorn Red Pepper Soup
I’d love to try Fraser Valley Mushroom & Mascarpone Soup, Thai Chicken Soup, and the Berkeley Butternut Squash Soup!
I would LOOOOVE to try : Fraser Valley Mushroom & mascarpone soup with a pinch of thyme, Chatham Carrot & ginger soup with coconut cream & curry and Tuscan Tomato Soup with basil & fresh cream<3 🙂
Id love to try them all!!!!! The most appealing soups and the ones id wish to try first are the Tuscan tomato, Chatham carrot and ginger and the Thai coconut. Mmm coconut.
I want to try Moroccan Chickpea Soup, Indian Split Pea Soup, and Mediterranean Minestrone.
I would like to try :
Fraser Valley Mushroom and Mascarpone soup
Moroccan Chickpea soup
Berkeley Butternut Squash Soup
Thank!
Thi
I want to try the Thai chick soup the Mediterranean minestrone soup and the Kawartha chicken noodle soup.
Woud love to try Fraser Valley Mushroom & mascarpone soup, the Tuscan Tomato Soup with basil & fresh cream & the Thai coconut soup.
Happy Planet soups are so fresh and tasty! I would love to try: Chilliwack Broccoli and Cheddar Soup, Santa Fe 4Bean Chilli, Louisiana Sweetcorn & Red Pepper Soup. Thanks for the chance to win! Twitter fan@plumerea
◾Kawartha Chicken Noodle Soup *New*
◾Chilliwack Broccoli & Cheddar Soup
◾Fraser Valley Mushroom & Mascarpone Soup
Oh wow, those photos make my mouth water!! Thanks for the phenomenal giveaway, I’ve wanted to try Happy Planet soups for ages, they look absolutely delicious. My top 3 picks would be the Chatham Carrot & Ginger Soup, the Chilliwack Broccoli & Cheddar Soup, and
the Fraser Valley Mushroom & Mascarpone Soup.
Fingers crossed! 🙂
Wow, these look amazing… it’s hard to pick just three! But I would LOVE to try the Thai Coconut Soup, Indian Split Pea Soup, and Louisiana Sweetcorn & Red Pepper Soup.
Thanks for the great contest, would be thrilled to try these out!
Would like to try:
Fraser Valley Mushroom & Mascarpone Soup, Thai Chicken Soup and Indian Split Pea.
I’d like to try the Thai Chicken Soup, Tuscan Tomato Soup and the Mediterranean Minestrone
I would love to try the Chatham Carrot & Ginger Soup, the Chilliwack Broccoli & Cheddar Soup and the Berkeley Butternut Squash Soup.
I’d love to try Thai Chicken Soup, Louisiana Sweetcorn & Red Pepper Soup,and
Fraser Valley Mushroom & Mascarpone Soup. I love soups!
Kawartha chicken, butternut squash, sweet corn and red pepper
I would love to try-Thai Coconut, Tuscan Tomato and Moroccan Chickpea.
Would love to try Chilliwack Broccoli & Cheddar, Moroccan Chickpea, and the Louisiana Sweetcorn & Red Pepper Soup.
Chatham Carrot and Ginger soup,
Chilliwack Broccoli and Cheddar soup
Tuscan Tomato soup.
I’d love to try the new Kawartha Chicken Noodle Soup, the Moroccan Chickpea Soup and also the Santa Fe 4 Bean Chili.
Chatham Carrot & Ginger Soup
Chilliwack Broccoli & Cheddar Soup
Tuscan Tomato
Thai Coconut, Fraser Valley Mushroom & Mascarpone Soup and Indian Split Pea
I would love to try Thai Chicken Soup, Indian Split Pea Soup, and
Tuscan Tomato Soup!
Indian split pea
Moroccan chickpea
and thai coconut
They sound incredible and also like they would be vegan
Thai chicken, butternut squash, and mushroom and marscapone sound interesting!