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Now that we are fast approaching the autumn season, it’s time to get thinking about meals that will keep us cosy, warm, and satisfied as the nights begin to draw in. Soups are great if you’re trying to keep the calories down, and you can experiment by using a variety of vegetables, beans, lentils – pretty much anything you like can be thrown in! Why not try making a nutrient dense bone broth to use as the base of your soup – stay tuned for my upcoming bone broth recipe in ‘Food of the Week’, and why not batch cook your favourite soups and store in the freezer, ready for lunches during the week or convenient meals in the evening. These 5 simple yet hearty soup recipes are jam packed with nourishing nutrients, bursting with flavour, and will leave you feeling satisfied with each mouthful! SOUP-ER EASY, SOUP-ER HEALTHY
HEARTY CHICKEN SOUP
SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tbspn ghee or coconut oil
  • 1 large onion (diced)
  • 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
  • 2 celery sticks (diced)
  • 1 handful fresh parsley (finely chopped) – keep some to serve
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 3 carrots (cut into small chunks)
  • 1⅓ litres chicken bone broth (homemade or bought)
  • 2 large handfuls cooked roast chicken (shredded)
  • 2 handfuls kale (finely chopped)
  • 2 handfuls cabbage (finely chopped)
  • 1 tbspn juice of a lemon
  • Pinch of sea salt or Himalayan salt
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • Extra virgin olive oil (to serve)

Fry the onion in the ghee or coconut oil in a large pot until soft. Add the garlic and celery and cook for a minute, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots, parsley stems (finely chopped), broth, and bay leaves, then bring to the boil. Then lower the heat to a medium simmer.

When the carrots soften, add the chicken, the kale and cabbage, and cook for a few minutes. Remove from the heat, season with a good pinch of salt, pepper, and the lemon juice. Ladle into bowls and serve with a pinch of parsley leaves and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. You will be able to see the bay leaves in the soup, so either remove or just avoid eating.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND LENTIL SOUP
SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tspn coconut oil or ghee
  • 1 onion (diced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • 2 carrots (finely chopped)
  • 1 cup of dry red or green lentils (rinsed)
  • 1 small butternut squash (chopped into small chunks)
  • 1⅓ litres vegetable or chicken broth (homemade or bought)
  • 2 tspns fresh thyme
  • 1 tspn dried basil
  • 1 tspn dried oregano
  • ¼ tspn paprika
  • Black pepper
  • Sea salt or Himalayan salt

Heat the coconut oil or ghee in a large pot, then add the onion, garlic, and carrots, and cook until the onions start to soften. Add the lentils, squash and 1 litre of the broth to the pan. Then add the herbs, paprika, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to a medium simmer, and leave for about 30 minutes. Add the remaining broth, and cook for a further 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve with some crusty sourdough or soda bread.

 

CHUNKY CORN CHOWDER
SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tbspn coconut oil
  • 1 onion (finely chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • 1 stick celery (finely chopped)
  • 1 small red or green chilli (finely chopped)
  • ¼ tspn chilli powder
  • ¼ tspn paprika
  • 2 ½ cups corn kernels (tinned or fresh)
  • 250 ml vegetable or chicken broth (homemade or bought)
  • 100 ml coconut milk
  • Large handful fresh parsley (roughly chopped)
  • Black pepper
  • Sea salt or Himalayan salt

Heat the coconut oil in a large pot, and add the onion, garlic, celery and chilli. Cook on a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the onion and celery begin to soften. Add the chilli powder, paprika, corn kernels, and cook for another 2 minutes, then add the vegetable or chicken broth. Use an immersion blender to roughly blend the soup, so that a chunky consistency remains. Add the coconut milk and a good pinch of salt and pepper, then bring to the boil, and reduce the heat to a low simmer. When the soup is heated all the way through, after about 15-20 minutes, remove from the heat, and serve with a good sprinkling of fresh parsley, and some warm crusty sourdough bread.

 

GREEN CLEANSING SOUP
SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tbspn coconut oil or ghee
  • 1 onion (finely chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • Thumb-sized piece of ginger (grated)
  • 2 leeks (roughly chopped)
  • 2 cups broccoli (roughly chopped)
  • 2 cups brussel sprouts (trimmed cut into halves)
  • 3 cups spinach
  • ½ tspn ground coriander
  • ½ tspn ground turmeric
  • 1 litre vegetable or chicken broth (homemade or bought)
  • Tspn natural or Greek yoghurt (to serve)
  • Black pepper
  • Sea salt or Himalayan salt

In a large pot, heat the coconut oil or ghee over medium heat. Cook the onion until they begin to soften, then add the garlic and ginger, and cook for a further minute. Add the broccoli, leeks and sprouts, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the coriander, turmeric, broth, and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a medium simmer. Cover and cook for about 20-25 minutes, until the vegetables have softened, then stir the spinach through until wilted. Use a food processor or immersion blender to blend the soup. The sickness of the soup completely depends on what you prefer, so blend until it is the right consistency for you. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and why not try adding a teaspoon of natural or Greek yoghurt to finish.

 

BEEF PHO
SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS
Broth:

2 large onions (quartered)
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
4-inch piece fresh ginger (sliced)
3 carrots (roughly chopped)
2 cinnamon sticks
2 whole star anise
3 cloves
2 tspn coriander seeds
1 1/3 litres beef broth (homemade or bought)
1 tbspn tamari
1 tbspn fish sauce

Soup ingredients:
225g sirloin steak
225g dried rice noodles
Drizzle extra virgin olive oil (for the noodles)
3 spring onions (finely chopped)
1 small red or green chilli (finely chopped)
1 lime (quartered)
1 cup bean sprouts
½ cup fresh coriander (roughly chopped)
½ cup fresh basil (roughly chopped)
Few mint leaves

Peel the ginger and slice it into strips down its length. Char the onions and ginger by using tongs, and char on all sides over high flame on a gas stove, until they begin to blacken. Rinse them under cool water to remove any bits that are overly charred.

Place the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and coriander seeds in a large pot and dry-roast over a low-medium heat for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently, and until fragrant.

Add the broth, tamari, fish sauce, carrots, and the charred onions and ginger to the pot with the spices.

Bring the broth to a boil over medium heat, then reducing the heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, allowing time for all the flavours to infuse.

While the broth is simmering, put the beef on a plate, cover with cling film, and freeze for 10-15 minutes. This will make it easier to slice the beef. When removed from the freezer, immediately slice into thin slices. Then re-cover and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and cook the rice noodles (according to the instructions on the packet). Strain and run under cold water to cool. Toss the noodles with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent them from sticking together.

Place the bean sprouts, spring onions, chilli, lime quarters, and herbs in a serving dish, ready for people to help themselves.

When the broth is ready, strain and remove all the solids. Put the broth back on a low heat and keep simmering gently, but not boiling.

Divide the noodles between serving bowls and top with a single layer of raw beef (a few slices), so that they cook evenly when the broth is added. Ladle the steaming broth into the bowls, pouring evenly over the beef so that it cooks – the beef should start to turn opaque in colour. The amount of broth depends on the preference of each person. Let everyone help themselves to the toppings on the table, and more broth if they wish. Enjoy!

 

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