You probably don’t need reminding why it’s great to go green, but I am going to remind you anyway, since it’s a rant I make regularly to my daughters! Greens tend to be low in calories but high in so many vitamins and minerals, especially calcium, which of course promotes bone health and is particularly important in dairy-free diets. Go exotic with superfoods in our Broccoli and Coconut with Red Lentils, get your protein hit with our Hearty Pea and Lentil, or go for an immune boost with our Courgette and Watercress Pesto. You can really take your health to the next level by going green.
RECIPE LIST
BROCCOLI AND COCONUT WITH RED LENTILS
BROCCOLI SOUP WITH ALMOND PESTO
COURGETTE WITH WATERCRESS PESTO
KALE AND APPLE SOUP WITH WALNUT AND CIDER PESTO
This is the sort of soup where you gather up what’s hanging around in your fridge on a summer’s day and turn those slightly curled-up vegetables and leaves into something stunning. You’ll create a soup that’s light and refreshing, perfect for helping you shape up for summer and full of the delights of a British country garden. What’s more, if you can grow some of the produce yourself, you’ll also have the pleasure of knowing the provenance of what you’re eating. This soup is light on calories, high on fibre and big on taste!
Serves 4
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
100 g (3½ oz) frozen peas
2½ spring onions, trimmed and chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
500 ml (16 fl oz) vegetable stock
½ iceberg lettuce, trimmed and diced
¼ cucumber, washed and sliced
1 fresh mint leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pea shoots (optional)
Heat the oil in a pan and add the peas, spring onion and potato. Cook gently for 3–4 minutes.
Add the vegetable stock to the vegetables and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the potato pieces are tender; this will take around 20 minutes.
Take off the heat and blend until completely smooth.
Add the lettuce, cucumber and mint, return to the heat and simmer for a further 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat, blend until completely smooth, season to taste and serve. Decorate with a sprig of mint or a pea shoot or two.
A combination of broccoli and red lentils might seem surprising, but this recipe really works! The blend of the green and the red results in an interesting colour but this soup is fantastic body fuel and super-tasty as well. It’s important to blend the soup well in order to create its distinctive thick, creamy texture, which comes from the lentils. As we note elsewhere, broccoli is an undercover superfood, which contains high levels of betacarotene, vitamins C, D, and K, and calcium too – all of which promote good bone health. It is a powerful detoxer too, having three glucosinolate phytonutrients that help neutralise and eliminate contaminants in the body. And if that weren’t enough, broccoli and lentils are both fibre-rich, which is important for maintaining good digestive health.
Serves 4–5
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
¼ tsp mild chilli powder
550 g (1¼ lb) broccoli (heads and stems), trimmed and chopped
140 g (5 oz) dried red lentils
1 litre (1¾ pints) vegetable stock
125 g (4½ oz) coconut cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Caramelise the onion in the oil (see here), then add the garlic, chilli powder and broccoli and let the vegetables sweat for 5–6 minutes, partially covered. Stir occasionally.
Wash and drain the lentils, then add them to the vegetables and mix in well. Add the vegetable stock, stir well and bring to the boil.
Turn down the heat and simmer gently, until the lentils are completely cooked, stirring regularly to make sure the lentils do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Add the coconut cream and mix in well. Take off the heat and blend the soup until completely smooth. Season to taste.
Superfoods are springing up all around these days, with every vegetable, fruit, nut and grain wanting to get in on the act. This is no surprise, really, when you consider that being classified as a superfood can send sales rocketing into the stratosphere. However, not all superfoods are created equal and sometimes the simplest ones are the best. Broccoli, please take centre stage – no more hanging around forlornly at the edge of the plate for you! With so much going for it, what with its anti-inflammatory properties, high vitamin count and new research suggesting it can help lower the risk of stroke and heart disease, broccoli truly deserves its superfood accolade. Here, a little bit of almond pesto drizzled over the soup gives this hero vegetable some well-deserved pizzazz.
Serves 4–6
For the soup
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
550 g (1¼ lb) broccoli (heads and stems), washed and finely chopped
1 litre (1¾ pints) vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the pesto
5 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped broccoli florets
15 g (½ oz) ground almonds
Pinch of salt
Chop sufficient tips from the broccoli florets to use for the pesto and set aside.
Prepare the soup: gently sauté the remaining broccoli in the rapeseed oil for around 5 minutes, until the broccoli becomes tender. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil.
Turn down the heat and simmer, partially covered, for around 8 minutes, until the broccoli is soft but not overcooked. Stir frequently. Take off the heat and blend until completely smooth. Season to taste.
To make the almond pesto: put all the ingredients together into a bowl, mix together, then blend until smooth.
To serve, put the broccoli soup into some pretty bowls and drizzle a generous swirl of the almond pesto on the top.
Cabbage still gets a bad rap and I’m convinced it’s because it is so often served up overcooked and therefore tasteless. I’m hoping this soup will help you obliterate bad memories and convert you to enjoying this unassuming veggie! Unlike the infamous cabbage soup of old, which contained nothing but those dense leaves cooked into a foul-smelling broth, this soup contains a delicious savoury mix. The kale provides a wonderful depth of flavour, while the caraway seeds give the soup a pleasant, fragrant undertone. The carrots, garlic and leeks add a natural sweetness to the whole dish. All these ingredients help to make the cabbage itself shine, so it becomes a treat rather than torture. It may also help to know that cabbage is full of nutrients, including vitamins C, K and B6, as well as being a great source of folate. Top with some sprouting alfalfa for extra texture, if you like.
Serves 5–6
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 small leeks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
200 g (7 oz) Savoy cabbage, finely shredded
65 g (2¼ oz) kale
1 tsp caraway seeds
1.5 litres (2¾ pints) vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Caramelise the onion in the oil (see here), then add the leeks and garlic.
Cook, partially covered, for 2–3 minutes, then add the carrots, potato, cabbage, kale and caraway seeds.
Let the vegetables sweat for 5–6 minutes, partially covered. Stir occasionally.
Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Then turn down the heat and simmer gently, partially covered, for around 8–10 minutes, until the carrots and potato are soft. Give the soup an occasional stir.
When cooked, take off the heat and blend the soup until completely smooth. Season to taste.
I love this soup, because it’s a bit of a show-stopper; the vibrant green courgette base has a dash of dark green pesto poised on the top for maximum effect. Tastewise, when you mix the two together, it’s a sensational hit! The natural pepperiness of the watercress gives a real kick, which is needed, I think, as courgettes on their own can be a little bland. Try to buy small rather than large courgettes – you’ll end up with a sweeter and more succulent dish. This soup is perfect for any healthy eating regime, with the raw watercress pesto providing a wonderful hit of iron.
Serves 3–4
For the soup
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
1 small potato, peeled and chopped
450 g (1 lb) courgettes, trimmed and sliced (but unpeeled)
850 ml (1½ pints) vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the pesto
50 g (1¾ oz) watercress (including stalks)
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
3 tsp sunflower seeds
2 tsp sesame seeds
½ tsp salt
180 ml (6 fl oz) olive oill
Caramelise the onion in the oil (see here), then add the garlic, potato and courgette. Let the vegetables sweat for 5–6 minutes, partially covered, stirring occasionally.
Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Then turn down the heat and simmer gently, partially covered, for around 10 minutes, until the potato pieces are soft. Stir occasionally.
While the vegetables are cooking, put all the ingredients for the pesto into a container together and blend until completely emulsified, then set aside.
Once the soup is ready, take off the heat and blend the soup until completely smooth. Season to taste.
Serve by pouring the soup into a bowl and swirling some of the pesto into the centre.
Serves 4–5
For the pesto
45 g (1½ oz) pumpkin seeds
1½ tbsp rapeseed oil
4 walnuts, halved
70 ml (1¾ fl oz) medium-dry cider
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the soup
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 eating apples, cored and
chopped (unpeeled)
1.25 litres (2 pints) vegetable stock
200 g (7 oz) kale, roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Begin by toasting the pumpkin seeds for the pesto. Pre-heat the oven to 150ºC/300ºF/Gas Mark 2. Line a small baking tray with baking parchment and add the pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle a small amount of oil over the seeds, then mix well and spread the seeds evenly on the tray. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes, until the seeds are turning a golden brown.
While the seeds are cooking, caramelise the onion in the oil (see here). Then add the garlic and the carrots and continue to cook on a low heat for 4–5 minutes, partially covered.
Add the apples and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, partially covered. Add the stock, stir well and bring to the boil.
Turn down the heat, add the kale and simmer gently, partially covered, for around 7 minutes, until the carrots are cooked. Stir occasionally.
Begin blending with the heat still on, for 3–4 minutes, then allow the soup to simmer for another 3–4 minutes. Take off the heat and blend the soup again, until completely smooth. Season to taste.
To make the pesto, put the toasted pumpkin seeds, walnuts and cider into a bowl or beaker and blend until smooth. If too thick, add a little more oil and blend again. Season to taste.
To serve, spoon a couple of generous tablespoons of the pesto over each bowl of soup.
Leeks are a member of the allium family, along with onions and garlic, so they have the same wonderful combination of flavonoids and sulphur-containing nutrients. Just one cup of cooked leeks will provide you with 29 per cent of your Vitamin K daily requirement. Leeks are sweet too, taking the slight bitterness off the mushrooms. If you leave the mushrooms in the sunshine for half an hour before using them, you’ll benefit from the added Vitamin D they’ll soak up too.
Serves 4
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
2 leeks, finely sliced
50 g (1¾ oz) fresh Portobello or
Portobellini mushrooms
100 g (3½ oz) button or cup
mushrooms
¼ tsp dried thyme
750 ml (1¼ pints) vegetable stock
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Caramelise the onion in the oil (see here).
Add the garlic and leeks, and sauté them lightly with the onion before adding the mushrooms and thyme. Cook on a medium to low heat until the vegetables become tender, stirring occasionally.
Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil, then lower the heat and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 8 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely soft.
Add the lime juice, mix it in well and take the pan off the heat.
Blend the soup until completely smooth and season to taste.
This is the soup I always wheel out when the girls are back from uni and we’re pretty sure they haven’t eaten properly for at least a month. Hearty by name, hearty by nature, this thick creamy soup will fill you up with protein, fibre and general goodness. It leaves you feeling happy and satisfied and – even though I’m pretty sure nothing can do this – I like to pretend that this soup makes up for all the late nights and lack of decent nutrition the girls have undergone in the previous weeks. As I don’t dilute the soup by adding any milk or cream, every mouthful is packed with nourishment, so it really is a great soup to help build back strength and stamina if you’ve had a few extra stresses and strains.
Serves 4–6
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 small leek, sliced finely
3 celery sticks, trimmed and chopped
125 g (4½ oz) frozen peas
250 g (9 oz) dried red split lentils
1.25 litres (2 pints) vegetable stock
1 tsp fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Caramelise the onion in the oil (see here).
Add the garlic, leeks and celery, and place over a medium to low heat, partially covered. Cook until the vegetables become tender, stirring occasionally.
Wash and drain the lentils. Add the peas and lentils to the vegetables, and stir in well before pouring in the vegetable stock and bringing to the boil.
Turn down the heat and simmer gently, partially covered, for around 20 minutes, or until the lentils are completely cooked. Stir occasionally.
Mix in the lime juice and then blend the soup until completely smooth. Take off the heat, season to taste and serve.
