Time for soup...

Short of time? Short on money? Feeling the cold? Your body telling you you need to eat better?

Well I have the most simple answer for you and it's not out of a tin!

The answer is a four letter word dear reader and it's SOUP. In summer it's a dish that can be served cold and as the nights draw in its a dish that can be served nice and hot.

Now a seasonal meat free soup can be one of the most cost effective meals anyone can knock up with 30 minuets or under.

All good soups start with a good base, mine always have one or two onions slowly cooked with some good rapeseed oil. Then a big fat clove of garlic crushed and added to the translucent onion.

Now I'd like to say I always make my own stock, but let's be honest I have so little free time every moment I spend in the kitchen I want to be making and baking. So dear reader I've turned to gel stock cubes. They are hands down one of the best things on the market.

And now for the star of the show, be it peas, celeriac, corn or many many more. Pick what's in season and you will find it at its best flavour but at its cheapest.

I tend not to spend more than a pound on any of the ingredients and get at least 2 or 3 servings out of one pot.

A few more secrets to making good soup:

Always season hot or cold soups even if you use stock cubes.

Don't over cook your vegetables, they taste better and sweeter if they are just cooked.

It's good to mix and match, celeriac and Cauliflower make a great soup.

I use a soup as a good way to up my B12 by adding some nutritional yeast to it. This can also add a nice depth to any soup.

I tend not to toast bread to go with the soup but cut it and pop it in the oven at 200 for around 9 minuets.

Soup freezes really well so make some extra and you have a quick meal when your in a rush.

And one of the most important things, buy a good thermos so you can take some to work, to a game or in the summer on a picnic.

Soups are for sharing and you'll get a great feeling from introducing friends to the joys of soup...

So if I haven't got you thinking about soup now I have let you down. If your already planning a big pot feel free to invite me around to try some, I'll bring the bread.

Bear X