We tend to associate yellow with sunshine and happiness, and for good reason! Turmeric is one of the most powerful super spices on the planet, while citrussy lime helps you get your Vitamin C hit. Comfort veg such as corn and potatoes also help to bring a boost of yellow to your soups, along with vitamins and minerals that are bound to keep a smile on your face.
RECIPE LIST
My own twist on the familiar Leek and Potato or Vichysoisse soup is this ‘golden’ version which includes carrots for all sorts of extra benefits. Carrots can be traced back about 5,000 years, and in ancient times were grown for medicine, not food. They bring large amounts of Vitamin A and antioxidants to the party, which may help to keep blood sugar regulated and improve immune function. This recipe allows the sweetness of the carrots to beautifully complement the leeks and the milder potatoes, and you can enjoy the soup chilled as well as hot. If you feel like spicing it up a bit, feel free to add a potato-friendly spice or herb such as a mild curry powder, paprika or rosemary – but not all three at once!
Serves 4
1½ tbsp rapeseed oil
1 small onion, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and diced
1½ carrots, peeled and diced
3 medium leeks, washed, trimmed and diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp mustard powder
750 ml (1¼ pints) vegetable stock
Pinch dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Caramelise the onion in the oil for 4–5 minutes (see here).
Add the garlic, carrot, leek and potato. Cook on medium to low heat for around 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Add the nutmeg and mustard powder to the vegetables, followed by the stock. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are cooked. This will take another 15 minutes or so.
Add the oregano and cook for a further minute. Take off the heat, blend until completely smooth and season to taste.
What a long way seaweed has come! There are a myriad of varieties that are easily available now, although I think that kombu works best in this soup. It’s packed full of nutrients, including iodine, glutamic acid (associated with lower blood pressure), calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron. This recipe combines it with sweetcorn for a really thick creamy soup that is truly a meal in itself. You are unlikely to need any additional salt as the seaweed does the job of seasoning perfectly well. If you want to add texture and a little pizzazz, try floating some roasted sweetcorn (see here) and chopped chives on the top, or even plain popcorn (which works surprisingly well and packs a useful punch of magnesium).
Serves 4
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 small potatoes, peeled and chopped
200 g (7 oz) frozen sweetcorn
½ tsp ground coriander
1 strip kombu seaweed
650 ml (22 fl oz) vegetable stock
Ground black pepper
Caramelise the onion in the oil (see here).
Add the garlic, potatoes, sweetcorn, seaweed and coriander.
Sweat the vegetables for about 20 minutes, on a medium to low heat, until the potatoes become tender. Keep stirring so that none of the ingredients burn on the bottom of the pan.
Add the vegetable stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 8–10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
Take off the heat and blend the soup until smooth. Add pepper to taste, and serve sprinkled with roasted corn kernels, chopped chives or plain popcorn.
Lightly spiced, zingy and sweet, this fruit soup is a favourite at the Soupologie HQ. Ginger and cardamom are both known for being anti-inflammatory and helping to control cholesterol, so they are useful in lowering the risk of heart disease. The citrus juices add a burst of Vitamin C and antioxidants, as do the peaches, which contain phenolic compounds that have anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory effects. So you have the perfect excuse to treat yourself to this slightly exotic and utterly delicious fruit soup – drink away as your heart so rightly desires.
Serves 6
900 g (2 lb) fresh peaches, peeled, stoned and sliced
250 ml (8½ fl oz) fresh orange juice
250 ml (8½ fl oz) fresh peach juice
60 ml (2 fl oz) fresh lime juice
2 tbsp clear honey
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 cloves
120 ml (4 fl oz) coconut yoghurt
In a large pan, combine everything except the yoghurt and bring the mixture to a boil.
Simmer, partially covered, for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the peaches are soft. Stir regularly while cooking.
Leave to cool, then remove and discard the cloves.
Pour the soup mixture into a blender and process until smooth.
Stir in the yoghurt and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
