The recipe here is for a soup that is naturally low in fat but rich in flavour and very filling because it is high in plant-based protein from lentils and peas. So delicious, and even more so with a little bit more fat – I love my soups best with a piece of buttered sourdough on the side and cubed feta or shaved parmesan on the top.

Recipe:

Vegetable stock (you can make this however you like, but here is a guide if you haven’t made it before)

• 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• Vegetable trimmings: I use the skins of onions, carrots, potatoes and sweet potatoes, the end stalks of green beans, the ends of courgettes, the kind of stuff we collect for the pigs or the compost heap as my grandmother used to tell me. This stuff boils up really great flavour!
• 1.5 to 2 litres water
• Salt, pepper, celery salt or your favourite herbs and seasonings.

Soup:

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 400-500g cooked lentils (I have used puy, green or red lentils, or a mixture thereof. I cook them myself, but if you must you can use 2 tins of drained lentils)
• 1 tbs parsley, finely chopped
• 200g frozen peas or petits pois

To serve:

• 1 tbs parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbs mint, finely chopped

Method:

Make the stock first. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and fry until softened and just turning brown. Move the onion to a large pot and add the other vegetables and the vegetable trimmings and season well. Pour over the water and bring to the boil. Allow it to simmer for a minimum of an hour, preferably 1.5-2 hours. Drain, keeping only the stock. While this is simmering I usually cook the lentils, which I have rinsed and pre-soaked in cold water overnight.

Using the pan used for the onion, heat the other tbs of oil and add the spring onions and garlic. Fry until just turning brown. Then put this, the stock, herbs and lentils all into the big pot and allow it to simmer for a few minutes. Add the peas and allow it to cook for a further few minutes. Your soup is now cooked and ready!  I then blend half of it in a food processor or using a hand blender, and then combine the blended part and the unblended part for serving, but obviously you can leave it all chunky or all blended depending on what consistency you like best. Serve with mint and parsley.  Sometimes I add cubed feta, crème fraiche, shaved parmesan, healthy croutons or chopped gammon. I also often add a little turmeric and/or spirulina into my bowl, which are two superfood powders that really actually are superfood powders nutritionally and not just a trendy gimmick. Just be careful because spirulina makes anything taste like stagnant pondwater and turmeric makes anything taste like you’re suddenly in India. It’s a fine line between nutrition and taste sometimes. Anyway, this recipe is super versatile and also happens to be my absolute favourite lunch in the whole world ever! Enjoy!

Photo credits: bowl is part of the Halo range by Denby