Vegetable soup & croutons: how to eat your 5 a day in quick and simple, natural and healthy meal.

Autumn is always a great season to curl up on the sofa with a warming and comforting meal, and what better way to incorporate as many vegetables as possible than in a soup?  A combination of most vegetables will work, and for the soup in the pictures, I have used cauliflower, carrot, onion, red pepper, tomato, combined with standard spices of garlic, ginger, turmeric, bay leaves, salt ( I like Himalayan rock salt for soups) and pepper, and oregano from our herb pots, as well as lemon juice.  Simply put in a pan, cover with water boiled in a kettle, and simmer on the hob until vegetables are tender; you should check and add more water throughout the simmering process which usually takes about 20 minutes.

Now, depending on your blender, you can either leave the vegetables and liquid to cool down before blending in order to not risk damaging the blender, or if the jug is heat resistant blend immediately, ensuring that lemons, woody herb stems, and bay leaves have been discarded.  Blend until all smooth or, if you prefer, slightly chunky.

Then pour back into the pan, add milk or cream, and bring back to simmer. Meanwhile, croutons can easily be made by gently frying olive oil and/or butter in a shallow pan, and chucking in old bread, perhaps with garlic and herbs, until golden brown and crispy on both sides.

When the soup is nice and warm, pour into a bowl and top with croutons, as well as grated or sliced cheese if you want a really luxurious starter style dish for a dinner party. Season to taste, and enjoy!

Try some of my favourite combinations but always with onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper:

Broccoli.

Cauliflower and cheese.

Tomato and herb.

Carrot and ginger.

Celery.

Leek and potato.

Pea and mint.

Or any combination of vegetables left sitting in fridge after a roast dinner.