One of the things I often hear people saying is that buying food to lose weight is expensive and that eating 5 portions of fruit and vegetables is hard work.

Well one of the things that can counter this is making soups from vegetables in the winter.

They are great as a snack or can be part of your lunch or main meal.  They can be cheap to make at home from fresh vegetables that are in season, will freeze and can be made in bulk.

Just couldn’t resist posting a picture of my bargain buy this week which was a large fabulous cauliflower which only cost me 69p from my local greengrocers.

This will make soups, a vegetable to add to a meal and of course a cauliflower cheese.

I have a few great soup recipes you might want to try and a great way of making cauliflower cheese which does not overload the calories. So if you want to know more about healthy eating contact me but here are some soups to try

PUMPKIN SOUP

Serves 4                                                                   30 calories per serving

30 minutes to prepare

Ingredients

120g pumpkin                                                         120g carrot

120g celeriac                                                          1 onion 1 courgette (optional)

450ml vegetable stock                                           Salt and pepper

To prepare

Roughly chop the all of the vegetables and place in a saucepan with the stock and season with salt and black pepper.  Bring to boil and simmer for about 25 minutes

Pour the vegetables and stock into a food processor or liquidiser to make into a smooth soup. Return to the pan and add the optional courgette at this point in small cubes heat through then serve.

BROCCOLI SOUP

Serves 4                                                                   105 calories per serving

30 minutes to prepare

Ingredients

4tsp olive oil spread                                                1 large onion chopped

480g broccoli                                                          Zest of a lemon

300ml vegetable stock                                           240ml skimmed milk

Juice of 1 lemon                                                     salt and pepper

2tbsp of single cream

To Prepare

Melt 2 teaspoons of the olive oil spread in a saucepan and add the onion and cook till soft. Add the remaining spread to the pan then add the broccoli florets and cook for a further 2-3 minutes

Add the lemon zest and stock to the pan and leave to simmer for 15 minutes.  Then pour into a food processor or liquidiser, and process to a puree.

Return to the pan and add the lemon juice and milk and season to taste.

Serve in warm bowls with a drizzle of single cream.

HEARTY WINTER SOUP

Serves 4                                                                   105 calories per serving

30 minutes to prepare

Ingredients

90g swede                                          90g turnip

90g carrot                                           90g celeriac

90g potato                                          120 g parsnip

1 medium onion                                  240g tinned tomatoes

30g split red lentils                               120g Brussel sprouts

½ tsp chilli powder                                        ¼ tsp oregano

450 ml vegetable stock                      1tsp olive oil

To Prepare

Cut all the vegetables into to chunks.  Chop the onion finely.

Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the onion soft then add all the vegetables, stock herbs and lentils except the Brussel sprouts.

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes then cut the Brussel sprouts in halves or quarter and add for a further 8 minutes or so until all the vegetables and cooked.

Then serve in warmed bowls