This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Campbell’s® Everyday Gourmet soups for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Is there anything more satisfying that a steaming hot bowl of soup on a cold winter day? I can’t think of too many. Today I’m sharing one of my favourite shortcuts in the kitchen. I love to cook and share recipes but being fabulously single means I don’t always feel like messing up my whole kitchen to make a delicious meal for myself. That’s where Campbell’s Everyday Gourmet soups come in. They are my go-to when I’m looking for a simple but good hot dish. They’re rich in texture with no artificial colours or flavours so it’s a guilt free meal. They have some really unique flavour combos that are a great way to open your flavour palette and elevate your everyday meals. 

These soups are absolutely delish on their own but you know me –  I have to put my own spin on everything. Obviously. So I decided to get creative with the garnishes. Adding a little extra something something is a great way to top off your bowl of soup, pun intended. Whether you’re just adding something extra for yourself or if you want to show off for a friend or two, getting creative with your garnishes can add some great extra flavour and makes your dish look all fancy. So leave the cooking part up to Campbell’s Everyday Gourmet soups and have some fun with your garnishes instead. 

I tried three flavours – Golden Butternut Squash, Tomato Basil Bisque and Thai Tomato Coconut but there’s so many flavours to try and Elevate Your Everyday. First up was Golden Butternut Squash. It’s a classic for sure so I decided to go less traditional with the garnish. 

For this one I decided to really channel my inner chef and try some spiced whip cream topped with fried shallots. Adding cinnamon and nutmeg creates a perfect flavour combo with the butternut squash and the fried shallots add just the right amount of crunch. Simply whip some cream to stiff peaks then add some cinnamon and fresh grated nutmeg in right at the end. For the fried shallots, thinly slice a shallot then very lightly flour the pieces before quickly frying them in a few tablespoons of hot vegetable oil. 

Next up I decided to do a spin on a classic combo. I took the Tomato Basil Bisque and added some grilled cheese croutons and homemade bacon bits. That’s right. It’s like a whole bunch of mini grilled cheese sandwiches and bacon swimming around and soaking up the goodness of your tomato soup. 

Simply make a grilled cheese sandwich, go ahead and use a fancy cheese if you want to elevate it even more, then cut it into crouton size pieces. Fry up some bacon nice and crispy then cut/crumble it into bite-size bits for extra garnish. Top with fresh basil. 

I saved the most exotic flavour for last – Thai Tomato Coconut. I’m a huge sucker for coconut flavoured anything so I would say this one was a personal favourite. 

I decided to take what I love so much and enhance it even more by adding some coconut cream and a few pieces of Thai chilli for some extra kick. Top with some fresh chives or lemon grass for some nice colour and extra flavour. 

Isn’t your mouth watering right now? I bet you won’t look at Campbell’s Everyday Gourmet soups the same way next time you see them on the shelf right? See, making your every day meal a little more elevated isn’t that hard. And even though you’re getting out of doing the cooking you can feel guilt-free because there’s no shortage of variety and no artificial flavour or colours with these soups. 

Well if you’re dying to give them a try and dream up some of your own creative toppings then head over to the Campbell’s Everyday Gourmet site and get $1 off your next purchase – available for download until July 31, 2017.  Or better yet if you really want to do your research and get hands on then stop by one of these sampling events near you to try three flavours and get to personalize with your own garnishes. 

• Pacific Centre Mall – February 1st – 5th
• Metropolis at Metrotown – February 10th – 19th
• BC Home & Garden Show – February 22nd – 26th
• National Home Show – March 10th – 19th
• Scarborough Town Centre – March 25th – April 2nd

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of @Campbell’s Everyday Gourmet soups. All opinions are 100% mine.