I’m officially cooking on a budget. Welcome to the saddest grocery trips ever. But I’m doing well so far. It takes focus and willpower and math. At the grocery tonight, I had $24 in my wallet to spend. I kept a running total as I added items to my basket. When I got to the dairy section I didn’t have enough for heavy cream. So, no heavy cream.

Good thing sweet and wonderful fruit is super cheap during the summer. And very good thing my friend Marian sent me this summer fruit soup last month. It’s from Mark Bittman originally. I love how easy it is, how much it makes (talk about leftovers!!), and how deep the flavors are.

mmm fruity soup

Plus, with the intense heat that’s been suffocating us lately, this doesn’t steam up your kitchen, and won’t steam up your body. Though maybe a steamy body is what you’re looking for…

I didn’t stick with all the fruits in the recipe Marian sent me. I just kinda went with what I have. But I’ll note in parentheses the original fruits just in case you’re wondering! No matter what fruit you use, make sure it’s ripe but not squishy.Chilly Summer Fruit Soup

2  pitted plums (cherries)
1 pitted and chopped peaches (nectarines)
1 cup picked-over blueberries (or cored and chopped pears)
1 banana
1 apple, cored and chopped
5 cups water or 4 cups water and 1 cup fruity red wine
small handful of chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup agave, plus more to taste if desired
Pinch of salt
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Ladle the cooked fruit mixture into a blender or food processor (when you find the cinnamon stick, remove it!), and puree. You’ll need to do this in batches most likely. Pour pureed soup into a large bowl and add the vanilla extract.

Mix the cornstarch with a few tablespoons of soup in a small bowl. Then add it to the large bowl of soup and mix. Cover the bowl and chill the soup in the fridge. I dolloped a dollop of yogurt on top when I ate my bowl. So easy!!