How to Make Cream of Anything Soup Base

Canned cream of chicken (or mushroom or celery or whatever) soup really has an unappealing look and feel coming out of the can. I think we all know that!

But how much do you know about what's really important – the ingredients that are in that can?

Our health and how we feel depend on what we're putting in and on our bodies, so let's investigate that cream of something soup.

That label actually looks better than the long-unused one in my cupboard that my husband insists on keeping around.

- Modified corn starch - really the "modified" part is as far as we need to go since that tells us that this is a highly processed food and, therefore, calorie dense and nutrient empty - the opposite of what we want

- Vegetable oil - when heated, vegetable oils produce a compound that can trigger cancer and heart disease

- Canola oil (within the vegetable oil) - avoid this stuff at all costs - just look it up!

- Modified milk ingredients - again with the "modified" - that means there's nothing of value

- Soy protein concentrate - Soy protein is high in something called "antinutritional factors," which basically inhibits your body's ability to absorb nutrients

- Flavour - though it says it contains celery, it most likely contains a cocktail of fake, synthetic chemicals, and they throw the celery in there just to make us think it's good. Companies are not required to disclose what is in their flavor, which is why it's a dangerous ingredient.

What's the alternative to cream of something soups?

I make my own! Yep, you can make cream soup from scratch!

Try this recipe to make it fresh.

Or, as I prefer, make up a batch of dry mix, and to use, you just mix it with water and simmer until thick.

Here's my tried-and-true recipe:

Easy DIY Cream Soup Mix

1 c. non-fat dried milk

¾ c. cornstarch

¼ c. bouillon granules/powder (you can use chicken for cream of chicken or veggie for other cream soups)

4 Tbs. dried minced onions

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. thyme or parsley