I’m trying to up my daily fruit and veg so have started getting a veg box weekly and I find it’s useful to make a batch of soup to have for lunches so these veg are very interchangeable depending what’s in your box or to use up leftovers but I always have as a base onion and garlic and good quality veg stock.

ingredients:

drizzle of olive oil

1 large onion

3 cloves of garlic (I’m a big garlic lover and very good for you but adapt accordingly, my husband did say to me one day was I expecting vampires!)

1/2 Kabocha squash (any squash would work)

2 broccoli stalks/stems (I try not to waste anything so I keep broccoli stalks for soups)

2000ml of water

Veg stock (appropriate amount for liquid I use Marigold organic vegan powder stock it’s fab!)

green leafy veg – bag of either Kale, rocket or medium cabbage

himalayan salt (gives flavour but also good for you) and pepper – to taste

Method:

I’m not a precise cook so not a good baker but just love putting stuff together and tasting as I go and adapting.  Fry off onion and garlic in drizzle of oil, you’ll need a pretty large saucepan (I used a big casserole dish) and I gently cook it off on a very low heat. I let this cook whilst I’m sorting /chopping the other ingredients, if onions do start to burn put lid on so they gently steam. Then add squash ( this is seriously tough to chop so need sharp knife to use to peel it as well and chop into large chunks, even though very hard actually doesn’t take too long to cook), broccoli stalks, water and stock powder. Simmer for around 10 mins then add your chopped leafy veg as this doesn’t need long to cook and your seasoning, when all cooked I use a hand blender to blitz!

This is quite a thin soup if you want it thicker you can either add potatoes to thicken or red lentils, you do this after onions are done and lentils need 30mins to cook.

Another option for a health boost and flavour is to add some turmeric, if so I add after onions have softened and fry off a bit but add black pepper at this stage too as I’ve been told turmeric is beneficial only in combination with black pepper!

I have actually managed to get whole family to eat vegetables this way even my 10 and 5 year old boys (without the turmeric) and my eldest is one of the fussiest eaters on the planet!

Enjoy x