This is something that I just love to make for lunch that is super easy and filling. I have always loved soups, ever since I was a kid. Pair that with a love for carbs, and this is an easy favourite!

To make my quick and easy potato soup, you first need to dice about 5 red potatoes, skin on. Also dice one small onion and whatever other veggies you might like, such as bell peppers. Fry these in a large pot with olive oil for about 15 minutes, with a lid, stirring every so often. Add about 1/4 cup whole wheat flour and stir. Add about 1 cup sour cream and stir well, then slowly add 2 cups of milk. I chopped about 4 cloves of garlic, and added 2 tsp of dill. You can add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to simmer until soup thickens. Serve hot, and enjoy!

When I was a heavier, less healthy person, I loved to eat a canned soup for my lunch. Between the convenience of the method, to the taste, which was good.. I just didn’t think twice about eating things like Chunky Soup or Campbell’s canned soups.

The great thing about making your own soups at home is that they don’t take very long at all, and they don’t contain all the gross preservatives (salt included) that you would get with a canned soup. I do not use boullion in my soups because I have had a hard time finding one that is inexpensive and contains no MSG. I prefer to use an array of different vegetables and mushrooms to develop a great flavour without tonnes of salt or chemicals.

MSG in particular is added to foods which use low quality ingredients to bring out amazing flavours. It is also used in order to keep flavours strong for a long period of time on the shelf. Many leading manufacturers of food who currently use MSG claim that it’s perfectly safe and has been used in different food cultures for centuries. While the time frame is true, it was never used in ancient cultures in the form that is it today, nor the abundance. MSG was originally derived from seaweed plant matter in Asian cultures, but studies have shown that the use of artificial MSG in Western culture is far higher than the use in Asian countries. We need to realize that there is a difference between naturally created MSG and artificially created MSG because they are, indeed, two different ponies.
MSG was traditionally known to have been used in cultures who prepare particularly bland foods, as a way to spice these foods up. The thing about that is that in North America, we’re blessed with some of the most flavourful imported foods in the world. We have nearly anything at our finger tips. As far as I’m concerned, there is no reason that we should be using any high amounts of  artificial MSG in our diets. And as someone who has since cut MSG out of her diet, I can say firsthand what a difference that made for my asthma and my overall health.

MSG reactions can vary greatly from person to person, even mimicking the effects of some neurological drugs at times. Symptoms can include bowel issues, nausea, headaches, vomiting, bloating, cramps, runny nose, hives and many more. More serious issues and symptoms can arise from continued doses of MSG, as well as having been attributed as a root cause for hyperactivity in children.

I know that when it comes to chemical substances in packaged foods, the best way to control the food that my family is eating is to cut out the middle man, and create meals from fresh, whole ingredients.

I don’t know how many people are walking around with symptoms of MSG allergy and reaction, but I do know that we could all stand to eat less MSG in our diets, and one simple way to do that is by taking back your table and making your own meals.

Thanks very much for joining me for Food Is Fuel Friday, and I look forward to seeing you again as we move forward together to shed the processed life.