Those of us who live in the Monadnock region are so fortunate to be surrounded by the beauty and bounty of nature. It is much easier to understand the connection between our own health and that of the environment on a visceral level when we are able to interact with the natural world on a daily basis.

January is generally a quieter time of year, when there might be more time to reflect on how our own actions impact the larger world. What better time of year to consider some new or renewed food-related commitments, such as the following, to contribute toward creating and sustaining a healthy planet?

-- Join the Meatless Monday global movement; even one day a week of eating plant-centered meals makes a difference by reducing climate-change causing emissions used in meat and dairy production.

-- Remember to bring your own grocery bags when you shop for food to reduce unnecessary plastic and paper bag waste.

-- Start planning a small (or large!) vegetable garden of your own.

-- Make a grocery list before you go shopping to cut down on impulse buying that can overstock your refrigerator and ultimately create food waste.

-- Shop locally and buy foods that are in season whenever possible.

-- Educate yourself about how eating more plant-based foods supports the health of the Earth, as well as your own. For more information on how your food choices affect the planet and your health, go to harriscenter.org/rhp.

I like the simplicity of a good bowl of soup on a winter night, with a crusty loaf of bread for dunking and maybe a side salad, if I feel like it. This recipe serves about six people; if you are only cooking for one or two, you can freeze the leftover soup in a Mason jar; leave room at the top of the jar for expansion so the jar doesn’t crack. I love pulling out a ready-made meal on nights when I don’t feel like cooking!

Potato leek soup

This soup can be served cold in the summer, but I much prefer to serve it hot on a cold winter night. The flavors in the soup meld more if the soup is made earlier in the day, or if you serve it the day after it is prepared.

Ingredients

-- 1 cup raw cashews.

-- 1 cup water.

-- 4 medium-large Russet potatoes

-- 4 medium-large leeks.

-- 2 stalks celery.

-- 1 medium yellow onion.

-- 4 cups vegetable stock.

-- 1 cup water.

-- Salt and pepper.

-- 1 bunch snipped chives.

-- 1 lemon, cut into wedges.

Directions

Soak the raw cashews in 1 cup of water to make them creamier while you are making the rest of the soup, or  soak for five to eight hours to reap the maximum benefits of increased creaminess and digestibility. Wash, peel and slice the potatoes and place in a large, six-quart pot. Scrub leeks, and slice all of the white and pale green parts; add to pot. Chop celery and onion; add to pot.

Pour vegetable stock and one cup water to pot; bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Take pot off burner when done. Blend soaked cashews in a high-powered blender or food processor until creamy and smooth. Add a few large ladles of soup at a time to the blender or food processor, and blend well before adding more. I blended two full batches in a Vitamix and then mixed both batches together in a soup tureen to fully blend.

Add salt and pepper, to taste. Pass snipped chives as a topping, and lemon wedges for squeezing into individual servings.

Lisa Murray has a passion for exploring the impact our food choices have on human and planetary health.