Courgette, potato & cheddar soup
This freezable soup is a delicious way to use up a glut of courgettes.
500g potato, unpeeled and roughly chopped
2 vegetable stock cubes
1kg courgettes, roughly chopped
bunch spring onion, sliced - save 1 for serving, if eating straight away
100g extra-mature cheddar
or vegetarian alternative, grated, plus a little extra to serve
good grating fresh nutmeg, plus extra to serve.
Put the potatoes in a large pan with just enough water to cover them and crumble in the stock cubes. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook for 5 mins. Add the courgettes, put the lid back on and cook for 5 mins more. Throw in the spring onions, cover and cook for a final 5 mins.
Take off the heat, then stir in the cheese and season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Whizz to a thick soup, adding more hot water until you get the consistency you like. Serve scattered with extra grated cheddar, spring onions and nutmeg or pepper. Or cool and freeze in freezer bags or containers with good lids for up to 3 months.
Beetroot & onion seed soup
A deep red autumnal soup that's low fat, vegetarian and full of flavour. Beetroot and apple give this soup a subtle sweet flavour, while lentils add protein and bulk
250g cooked beetroot
100g canned lentils
1 small apple
1 crushed garlic clove
1 tsp onion seeds (nigella), plus extra to serve
250ml vegetable stock
Tip the beetroot, lentils, apple, garlic and onion seeds into a blender with the vegetable stock and some seasoning, and blitz until smooth. Heat until piping hot in the microwave or on the hob, then scatter over some extra onion seeds, if you like.
