A Cosy Bowl of Comfort: Simple Potato and Vegetable Soup

Hello guys! 🥰 How are you all doing? I hope you’re all keeping well and that you’ve been finding little ways to enjoy the change in seasons as we settle into autumn! 🍂 Whether it’s getting wrapped up in your favourite cosy jumper, enjoying a hot drink on a chilly afternoon, or simply watching the leaves change colour, I hope this time of year is bringing you some little moments of happiness. ❤️ As always, thank you for taking the time to stop by my little corner of the internet, where we can share a little bit of life together, even when things aren’t always sunshine and rainbows!
Unfortunately, today’s post is going to be a little shorter than usual because I’m still very poorly at the moment, and sadly, it’s much worse than having a typical cold. 🤧 I’m currently experiencing a severe ME/CFS crash, which has left me feeling incredibly unwell and with very little energy to spare. When you live with ME/CFS, even the simplest everyday activities can take a huge amount out of you, and sometimes your body reaches a point where it simply cannot keep going at the pace you’d like it to. It’s one of the hardest things about living with a chronic illness because you can’t always predict when things will get worse, how long a crash will last or when you’ll start to feel a little more like yourself again. 💔 At the moment, I’m having to take things one day at a time, listen to my body as much as I can, and accept that my usual routine has had to take a back seat while I concentrate on getting through this difficult patch.
One of the most challenging symptoms I’m dealing with right now is severe brain fog. 😶‍🌫️ For anyone who hasn’t experienced it, brain fog can sound like a bit of forgetfulness or feeling a little tired, but when it’s severe, it can be so much more than that. It’s as though your mind is struggling to keep up with the world around you. Finding the right words, concentrating on a sentence, remembering what you were about to do, or trying to organise your thoughts can suddenly feel incredibly difficult. Even reading, writing, or putting a simple thought into words can take far more effort than it normally would. Sometimes you know what you want to say, but you just can’t seem to get your brain to cooperate, which can be incredibly frustrating when you’re used to expressing yourself through writing. 🥺
The thing about severe brain fog is that it can also leave you feeling much more vulnerable than usual. When your concentration, memory, and ability to process information are affected, ordinary decisions can suddenly feel overwhelming, and it can become harder to take in information, explain how you’re feeling, or work through things that would normally be straightforward. You might need longer to understand something, find yourself struggling to follow a conversation or feel unable to do tasks that you would usually manage. It’s not a lack of effort, intelligence, or willingness; it’s an incredibly difficult symptom to deal with, particularly when it’s happening alongside the exhaustion and other symptoms of an ME/CFS crash. 💗 I think it’s important to talk about this side of chronic illness because, although people can sometimes see that you’re physically unwell, they can’t necessarily see the mental and cognitive difficulties you’re experiencing. Right now, I’m having to be especially gentle with myself, take things slowly, and recognise that my capacity is much more limited than usual. As frustrating as that can be, my health has to come first, even when it means changing my plans or doing less than I’d hoped.
With all of that in mind, I didn’t want to disappear from the blog completely this week, but I also knew that trying to put together one of my usual longer posts would be too much for me at the moment. ❤️ I love having this little space to share my thoughts, experiences, and things I enjoy with you all, but I also want to be honest about the reality of living with a chronic illness. There will be times when I can write lots and share all sorts of things, and there will be other times when I need to simplify things and work within the energy I have available. I hope that by sharing these moments, I can help others who are living with chronic illnesses feel a little less alone, while also reminding everyone that it’s okay to slow down when life gets difficult. We don’t always have to do everything, and we certainly don’t have to push ourselves beyond our limits to prove that we’re trying. 🫶So, rather than putting pressure on myself to write a lengthy post, I thought I’d do something a little different and share a comforting recipe with you instead! 🥣🍂

Now that autumn is here, and the weather is starting to get colder, there’s something especially lovely about the thought of a warm, hearty meal that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home. Think cosy evenings, soft blankets, your favourite television programme, and a bowl of something delicious to warm you up from the inside out. 🍁 For me, comfort food is about more than simply filling your stomach; it’s about those little moments of warmth and familiarity that can make a difficult day feel just a tiny bit better.
I also wanted to keep this recipe idea as simple and accessible as possible because I know that cooking isn’t always easy, particularly for anyone living with ME/CFS, chronic pain, fatigue, or a disability. Even preparing ingredients, standing in the kitchen, or washing up afterwards can use up energy that you simply don’t have to spare. That’s why I love the idea of making comfort food a little less complicated, using convenient ingredients where possible and remembering that it’s perfectly okay to adapt things to suit your own needs. 💛 Whether you’re able to make a meal from scratch, need somebody to give you a helping hand, or rely on something quick and easy on your more difficult days, you still deserve to enjoy something comforting without feeling guilty about how you’ve managed to prepare it.
And that leads me nicely into this week’s post, where I’m sharing a simple, warming potato and vegetable soup recipe that’s perfect for the colder autumn days ahead! 🍲🍂 It’s all about enjoying a little bowl of comfort, keeping things as straightforward as possible and finding small ways to make life a little cosier when the weather turns chilly. So, if you’re looking for a warming meal idea that doesn’t need to be complicated, or you simply fancy a little autumn inspiration, this week’s post is for you! ❤️

Simple Potato and Vegetable Soup

🥔 Why I’ve Chosen Potato and Vegetable Soup

For me, a warm bowl of soup is one of those classic comfort foods that never really goes out of fashion. It’s simple, warming, and can be made using ingredients that you might already have in your kitchen.
Potatoes give this soup a lovely hearty texture, while mixed vegetables add colour and flavour. The best part is that you don’t need to spend ages peeling and chopping fresh vegetables if you use a bag of frozen mixed vegetables instead. You can also use ready-prepared potato pieces to cut down on the preparation even further.
This recipe is vegetarian-friendly and can be made gluten-free by checking that your vegetable stock and any other packaged ingredients are suitable for your needs. You can also make it dairy-free by leaving out the optional milk or cream.
It’s a lovely option for a chilly afternoon, a simple lunch or an easy evening meal when you fancy something warm and comforting without making cooking a big project.
And remember, this is about making life easier, not adding another task to your to-do list. If making soup from scratch is too much on a particular day, a ready-made soup is absolutely fine too. 💛

🛒 The Ingredients

For this simple recipe, you’ll need:

• 300g frozen mixed vegetables
• 300g ready-prepared potato chunks, or potatoes chopped into small pieces
• 750ml vegetable stock, made according to the packet instructions
• 2–3 tablespoons of milk or a splash of cream, optional
• A little black pepper, to taste
• A sprinkle of dried parsley, optional

A few helpful notes: If needed, check that your vegetable stock is gluten-free. Choose vegetables you enjoy, and use pre-cut or frozen ingredients wherever possible. You don’t need to buy anything fancy to make a comforting meal!

🍲 How to Make Your Easy Potato and Vegetable Soup

Step 1: Get your ingredients ready

First, gather your ingredients together. Using frozen mixed vegetables and ready-prepared potato chunks helps reduce the amount of chopping and preparation required. If you’re having a particularly difficult day with your ME/CFS, you could ask someone to help gather the ingredients or prepare everything for you.

Step 2: Add everything to a saucepan

Place the potato chunks and frozen mixed vegetables into a large saucepan. Pour over the prepared vegetable stock and give everything a gentle stir. There’s no need to fry onions, peel lots of vegetables, or prepare a complicated sauce. We’re keeping things as straightforward as possible!

Step 3: Cook until the vegetables are tender

Place the saucepan on the hob and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are completely tender, usually around 15–20 minutes if the pieces are small. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of your potato pieces and whether they were fresh or frozen, so check that everything is thoroughly cooked before moving on to the next step.

Step 4: Make the soup creamy

Once the vegetables are tender, carefully remove the saucepan from the heat. For a thicker soup, mash some of the potatoes directly in the pan with a potato masher. If you prefer a smoother texture, you can blend the soup using a suitable blender once it has cooled slightly, following the appliance’s safety instructions. Alternatively, leave the vegetables in chunks for a more rustic soup. Stir in a little milk or cream if you’d like an extra creamy finish, and season with black pepper to taste.

Step 5: Serve and enjoy!

Ladle your soup into a bowl, add a little dried parsley if you fancy, and settle down somewhere comfortable to enjoy it. You could serve it with gluten-free bread or another favourite side, if you have the energy and appetite for it. Otherwise, the soup is lovely on its own. And there you have it: a simple, warming bowl of potato and vegetable soup, perfect for a cosy autumn day! 🍂

💛 Making Cooking Easier on Low-Energy Days

I think it’s important to remember that cooking doesn’t have to look the same for everybody. When you live with a chronic illness, you often have to approach everyday activities differently, and that’s nothing to feel guilty about. Here are a few ways to make preparing food a little easier:

• Choose convenience ingredients. Frozen vegetables, ready-chopped potatoes, and prepared stock can save valuable energy.
• Keep things simple. A handful of ingredients and one saucepan can be much more manageable than a complicated recipe.
• Sit whenever possible. If sitting at a suitable, accessible work surface makes preparation easier, there is no need to stand.
• Accept a helping hand. Someone else can prepare the ingredients, cook the meal or handle the washing up.
• Make use of leftovers. If you have enough energy and suitable help to prepare a larger batch, portions can be cooled promptly, refrigerated or frozen safely for another day.
• Have a backup plan. Tinned soup, ready meals and other easy options are useful to keep around for days when cooking simply isn’t possible.

For anyone living with ME/CFS, pacing and recognising your limits are important. Cooking is not worth pushing yourself into a worse crash for. You can adapt a recipe, take breaks, or skip making it altogether if that’s what your body needs.

🍁 A Little Reminder About Comfort Food

I think comfort food is about more than just what’s on your plate. It’s also about the feeling of being warm, comfortable, and cared for, especially when life feels difficult. Sometimes that might mean enjoying homemade soup under a blanket. Other times, it might mean asking someone to make you something, ordering a meal, or heating up something ready-made. None of those options makes your meal any less comforting.
We all have different circumstances, different energy levels, and different needs. It’s okay to find the version that works for you.
As the evenings get darker and the temperatures drop, I hope you can find little ways to make your days feel warmer and more comfortable. Whether that’s a favourite meal, a cosy film, a soft blanket, or simply giving yourself permission to rest, those little comforts matter. ❤️

🥣 Over to You!

I’d love to know what your favourite comfort foods are when the weather starts getting colder.
Are you a soup lover, do you prefer a hearty casserole, or is there another warming meal that you always look forward to at this time of year?
And if you’re living with a chronic illness or disability, do you have any favourite low-energy meal ideas or kitchen shortcuts that help make everyday life a little easier? I’d love to hear your suggestions!

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit Peyton’s View and read today’s post. 🥹❤️ It genuinely means so much to me that you continue to show up here, even on the weeks when I’m not feeling my best and don’t have as much to give as I’d like. Writing has always been a lovely way for me to share a little piece of my world with you, and I’m so grateful to have this space where I can be honest about both the good days and the difficult ones. I hope today’s post has brought you a little autumn inspiration, reminded you that comfort can be found in the simplest things, and encouraged you to be gentle with yourself when life feels overwhelming. Whether you’re reading from a cosy corner at home, taking a little break during a busy day, or navigating difficult days of your own, I’m sending you the biggest virtual hug. 🫂 Please remember that you don’t have to do it all, and resting is never something you need to feel guilty about. Thank you for being here, for supporting my little blog and for allowing me to share this journey with you. Until next time, take care of yourselves, stay cosy, and sending lots of love! ❤️🍂