Every now and again one of those days strike. You know what we’re on about… The kind of cold, hard, long day that can only be soothed by a prize bowl of delicious, comforting, umami-packed, creamy soup. It warms you up, fills you up, and lifts your spirits right from the first spoonful.
There is a problem here though: these days most of us buy pouches or cans from the supermarket. We think it’s too much trouble to make our favourite soups at home - loads of ingredients, hours of boiling and waiting - whilst ignoring the fact that what we’re buying actually makes us feel worse, not better. Supermarket soups are laden with sugar, preservatives and things like heavy cream or wheat-based thickeners that leave you feeling bloated and lethargic afterward.
So here’s a plan for your next ‘soup emergency’. When the urge strikes, simply pick up the handful of ingredients below, and put in a few minutes of prep. We’ve followed low-FODMAP guidelines, so you’ll feel great afterward - plus have leftovers for to freeze and enjoy later.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1kg bunch of carrots, finely chopped
500g courgettes chopped
1 litre vegetable stock
4 tbsp sundried tomato puree
2 tbsp Avocado oil
1 tsp thyme leaves
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp smoked paprika
pinch of cayenne pepper
juice of ½ lemon
Salt & black pepper, to taste
Method
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the carrots and courgette, frying until lightly browned, 5-8 minutes. Whilst frying, prepare the vegetable stock, making sure that it’s hot.
Add the tomato puree, spices and thyme leaves. Toss with the carrots and courgette until well coated. Then add the vegetable stock. Stir well, turn down the heat and let simmer, and cook, uncovered for 20 minutes.
Once reduced and vegetables are tender, squeeze over lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Take off the heat, and using a hand blender, blend the mixture until you have a smooth consistency. Serve in big bowls with a last drizzle of Avocado oil and a crack of black pepper.