Spring Fling: Fridge Organization + Soup Recipe

Now on our Spring Fling tour we arrive at the refrigerator. Maintaining organization in the fridge can be hard. But, the good news is that we’ve overcome this organizational obstacle.

We have figured out the fridge and are offering up some fridge fundamentals. There are some oh-so-helpful products out there and we got our hands on some of the best and most inexpensive ones. You will no longer be wishing your arms were just a few inches longer as you reach in search for that long lost yogurt you know you bought, yesterday.

Introducing the lazy susan. Ah, yes you’ve used it before, but try it in your fridge and load it up with condiments, sodas, or fruits and veggies.

It’s a new way to use the lazy susan. Found at The Container Store.

Next, reintroducing the idea of bins and tags we mentioned last week (in case you missed it: Bins and Tags). But, we are now organizing our fridge shelves with these easy to pull out, clear baskets and labels!

Clear handled baskets and self laminating labels.

Choose labels that are appropriate for your fridge.

Want these products?
1. Clear handled baskets
2. Self laminating labels

Also, try these square baskets for alternate storage options.

Various size baskets are great for all types of food. Found at The Container Store.

Want to use a different method to label your baskets? Erasable labels are great, too!

Plan weekly meals and have them labeled ahead of time! Found at The Container Store

Now that you’re well on your way to an organized fridge, grab out these ingredients to make this delicious soup recipe:

A bowl of colorful vegetable soup. Spotted On: Simply Love Food

Rustic Tuscan Vegetable Soup

What You’ll Need…

1 tablespoon olive oil
1-15 oz can of cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
1-15 oz can of light or dark kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced, (about 1/2 cup)
1 small zucchini, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
green beans, cut into bite sized pieces (fresh, frozen or canned) about 1 cup
1 small yellow squash, diced (about 1 cup)
3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup of any type of small pasta (already cooked) Do not cook your pasta in the soup. The pasta will absorb all of the liquid.
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional

Get Started…

1. In a small bowl mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon, and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the broth and tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil. Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.
4. Serve topped with Parmesan, if desired.

Finally, sit, relax, and enjoy a bowl of soup knowing that behind that fridge door is a neat and orderly array of food ready for the next meal.