Spicy, Garlicy, Vegetable Soup

Use up old veg and get your 5 a day!

Ingredients

• For basically all soup bases:
• 2 large Carrots, finely diced
• 1 white onion, finely diced
• 3 sticks of celery, peeled and finely diced (can be left out, but better flavour with)
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• One or Two medium stregnth chillies, diced finely (adjust to taste, chillie flakes can be used instead)
• Can of Tomatoes
• Tomato puree
• Chicken or vegetable stock (about 2 pints)
• 1 large Potato, cut into 1 cm cubes
• About 400g of any veg that you have, diced the same as the potatoes.
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• Dried mixed herbs (optional)
• Oil for frying (Olive oil or basic sunflower or vegetable)
• Extras (really tasty if you have them):
• Crispy bacon, either brought (Morrisons do some amazing ready cooked, crispy bacon), or home cooked
• Toasted Pinenuts
• Cheddar, grated

Instructions

STEP 1:

1. Put about 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan, and heat on a medium heat.

STEP 2:

2. Add the onion, carrots and celery, and cook gently until everything is soft, but not coloured. It is important to keep stirring so that it doesn’t stick or burn.

STEP 3:

3. Add the garlic and chillie and cook for a further minute.

STEP 4:

4. Add the other veg and potatoes and stir to coat everything in the garlicky oil.

STEP 5:

5. Alow to fry for about 5 mins. (add a splash of water if the veg is beginning to stick)

STEP 6:

6. Add the herbs and tomato puree, and then the tinned tomatoes.

STEP 7:

7. Pour in the stock and season. (Be careful with the salt, as the stock can be quite salty)

STEP 8:

8. Put a lid on the pan (if you have one), and simmer unitl the veg is cooked through

STEP 9:

9. Blend the soup if desired, or leave chunky

STEP 10:

10. Put into bowls, and top with the bacon, pinenuts and cheddar, if desired.

STEP 11:

11. Serve with bread.

STEP 12:

STEP 13:

This soup can be freezed, so make it in bulk (as the measurments in this recipe surgest) then put into tupperware or takeaway boxes and freeze. Great for dinner before going out clubbing, and good the next day when your body needs reviving!

STEP 14: