Broccoli and Smoked Cheddar Soup

• total time: 14 minutes

Ingredients

If there anything better this time of year than a soup that you can just feel the nourishment as you eat it. I ate this on repeat for 3 days, which I always think is a good sign. 10g of fibre per portion which is a 1/3 of your daily recommend intake! . Add extra protein by mixing in roast chicken, hot-smoked salmon, or tofu etc

You will need to serve 3-4

225 kcal & 14g protein

You will need

2 leeks, trimmed and finely sliced

2 celery sticks, diced

2 cloves garlic

1 large head broccoli (florets and stalk), chopped

1 x 400g tin cannellini beans

100g bag baby spinach

1 pack fresh basil (30g)

400ml hot chicken or veg stock

80g smoked cheddar, grated

Zest of 1 lemon

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the leeks, basil stems only and celery with a pinch of salt and cook gently for 6–8 minutes until softened but not coloured. Stir in the garlic, broccoli & cannellini beans including their stock to the pan, pour over the stock so all the veg is just submerged. Bring up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 6–8 minutes until the broccoli is just tender.

Take the pan off the heat. Add the baby spinach and basil, stirring them through the hot liquid so they wilt in the residual heat for 30–60 seconds.

Blend the soup until completely smooth and silky, loosen with more stock if it’s too thick. Then stir through the smoked cheddar until it melts into the soup. Add the lemon zest, then taste and season generously with sea salt and black pepper.

Ladle into bowls, I served with extra cheddar and a dollop of creme fraiche.