Magic Soup INTRODUCTION We are a chef (Nicole) and a writer (Kate), and we love soup. It takes us back to basics, to the essence of simple food for the body and soul. When you eat a really good bowl of soup, it puts you in a positive frame of mind, and you know you're nourishing your body, too. Making soup is like therapy: it's relaxing, creative, and generous. For both of us, eating is emotional, and we think that's a great thing. Food should be a source of passion, of delight. Nicole can tell how a person is feeling the moment she walks into their kitchen: whether they're at one with their world or in need of a "kitchen cleanse" (in other words, their cupboards are cluttered with lots of delicious ingredients forgotten and left unseen and unused in the corners). We can feel it, too, when we get trapped in unhealthy eating patterns and need to make a new start.

For us, the first step is usually making a fresh soup to rekindle our desire for health and happiness. Our aim is to show that cooking at home is the simple, unscientific but real-life answer to healthy living. When you cook and eat from scratch, there's very little that isn't good for you in moderation; at the very least, every recipe and every meal can have a bit of magic in it. Depending on what we need and what we fancy, soup can be comforting, a quick lunchtime fix or a feast for the gods. As early as humans could build fires and make watertight pots, they made soups and stews with the ingredients they had at hand, and that tradition continues. Nicole will often make "everything left in the refrigerator" soup, her own version of hunter-gathering, or an ode to Scotland with the Hotch Potch soup. Chicken soup makes us feel better when we're poorly, while Miso or Kitchari are the perfect start to a healthy cleanse. Cooking gathers people together, over the stove or at the table.

It's generous and giving, and sitting and chatting is as nourishing as the food itself. There is a beautiful Latvian proverb that says "a smile is half the meal": there are times when cooking is a way to get back to the important things in life, whether you're taking a delicious, healthy lunch to work in a thermos or roasting a few vegetables with herbs or spices and making a simple soup for a busy week ahead. Close your eyes and imagine everything you need for a good meal. Then make soup!.