I have been suffering with a chesty cold. I finally succumbed to the dreaded thing on the weekend and confined myself to the sick sofa. Taking remedies, keeping warm and watching telly were the order of the day.

However by about 1 pm I was getting hungry and found myself in need of a thickish creamy soup to rescue me from my downward spiral towards man-flu. I turned to the always ready potato and onion for my recovery soup. I know it should be a chicken soup but I was not in the mood for prepping and cooking the chicken.

This is a triumph of a smooth, creamy and very tasty soup. If I didn’t know better I would say that I have happened onto a medical miracle. My skills as a soupy alchemist are finally coming to the fore as I recover from my brush with man-flu.

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 559 (140 –  calories per serving) 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil (other types of oil will do)
• 1 knob of butter, unsalted
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 medium potatos, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 tbsp of mixed herbs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 vegetable stockpots
• Add hot water to (level 1 or 2 in the soupmaker whichever suit you)

Method

• Put all ingredients in the soup maker and set to smooth.
• Alternatively put all of the ingredients into the pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minute’s or so, then blend when done until smooth.
• For a thinner soup add more water, for a thicker soup add less water.

Now a point from the Big Souper. At only £1.25 for 600g of soup from Sainsbury New convent garden soup these days why should I make my own Soup you ask? I also looked at a Waitrose own a low fat soup at, its £1.50 for 350ml  of a cauliflower and celery soup.

Well I wonder if you have ever heard of a Radish Soup from the New Convent Garden Soup Company. No you haven’t is the answer. Also at over 942 calories for 600ml of the Vegetable Soup and containing 31g of the not to good stuff is as follows:

• Fat (6.6g)
• Saturates (3.8g)
• Sugars (18g)
• Salt (2.6g)

The Waitrose low fat soup for an equivalent 600g is over 585 calories and contains an equivalent 18g of the not to good stuff is as follows:

• Fat (5.5g)
• Saturates (2g)
• Sugars (7.5g)
• Salt (3g)

So I think the problem is pre-prepared food. Whereas if you make your own soup its between 1 and 1.2 litres of soup (up to double the amount bought) with fewer calories and a fraction of the not so so good stuff.

So take the time and if you make it yourself, from natural products, it will be way, way better for you.

The humble radish. its is edible I am told and it is a root vegetable. Its part of the  of the Brassicaceae (Mustard) family of vegetables from pre-roman times. Mostly to be found, eaten raw, in a posh and crunchy salad.

This is a smooth, easy to make and tasty everyday soup. It takes extra flavours really well, so you can put in various tasty sauces to suit if you want too.

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 271 (68 –  calories per serving) 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil (other types of oil will do)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 to 5 medium potato, chopped
• 200g of White or Red Radish
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp of mixed herbs
• 1 tsp of bouillion
• 1 vegetable stockpot
• Add hot water to (level 1 or 2 in the soupmaker whichever suit you)

Method

• Put all ingredients in the soup maker and set to smooth.
• Alternatively put all of the ingredients into the pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minute’s or so, then blend when done until smooth.
• For a thinner soup add more water, for a thicker soup add less water.

Making a quick soup in the morning is one of favourite things to do, time sometimes does not allow this.

My quickie on Wednesday morning turned out brilliantly. I went for some basic soup ingredients and cobbled together this soup on the fly. I had only about twenty minutes before Jane came down form her shower and we were off to work so I had to work fast, no reference works for me. I chopped and I poured and I squeezed the ingredients to get them all in the soup kettle and left it to cook on it own.

When we returned from work…..  Well it was delicious, I can tell you.

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 480 (120 –  calories per serving) 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil (other types of oil will do)
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed (to taste)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium potato, chopped
• 3 carrots, finely chopped
• 1 can of tinned tomatoes
• 1 plum tomato chopped
• 1 red or green chilli, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp of Worcester sauce
• 2 tab tbsps of balsamic vinegar
• 2 stockpots (1 chicken and 1 vegetable)
• Add hot water to (level 1 or 2 in the soupmaker whichever suit you)

Method

• Put all ingredients in the soup maker and set to smooth.
• Alternatively put all of the ingredients into the pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minute’s or so, then blend when done until smooth.
• For a thinner soup add more water, for a thicker soup add less water.