Ingredients

• 500g parsnips, peeled
• 100g carrots, peeled
• ½ medium red onion, diced
• 3 sticks of celery
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 300ml skimmed milk
• 2 vegetable stock cubes
• 2 heaped tsp honey
• Fresh thyme

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Take a few extra peelings from the parsnip and keep aside to make some parsnip crisps
2. Dice the vegetables and put in a roasting dish, along with the parsnip shavings. Add the oil and toss to coat the vegetables.
3. Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme and roast for 20 minutes.
4. Remove the parsnip crisps. Drizzle the honey over the rest of the vegetables and roast for a further 10 minutes.
5. Once cooked, transfer to a large pan, crumble in the stock cubes and add water to cover the vegetables.
6. Bring to the boil and simmer for approx 15 minutes or until the parsnips are very soft.
7. Finally add the milk and blend with a hand blender until smooth. Serve topped with parsnip crisps and fresh thyme.

Ingredients

• 500g raw beetroot, chopped into large chunks
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 4 large tomatoes, quartered
• 300g potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
• 1 medium red onion, peeled and quartered
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 vegetable stock cubes
• Black pepper
• Salt
• 60g reduced fat feta cheese
• Fresh thyme to garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread the vegetables on a baking tray and drizzle with the oil.
2. Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes until cooked.
3. Transfer the vegetables to a large saucepan, crumble in the stock cubes and add 1 litre of boiling water.
4. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until beetroot is soft.
5. Blend with a hand blender until smooth – add extra water to get the consistency as you'd like.
6. Serve topped with crumbled feta cheese and fresh thyme.

Ingredients

• 80g dried soba noodles
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 2 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce
• 500g skinless chicken breasts, sliced
• 100ml plain soya milk
• 15g fresh coriander to garnish

Method

1. Bring a saucepan ¾ full of water to the boil, add the noodles and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the noodles are just tender. Drain and set aside until needed.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened.
3. Add the ginger and carrot and sauté for 1 minute.
4. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds – don't let it start to brown.
5. Add the stock and soy sauce and bring to the boil.
6. Add the chicken and return to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
7. Add the soba noodles and soya milk and heat through – do not boil. Remove from the heat.
8. Ladle into warmed individual bowls and serve immediately, garnished with coriander.

Ingredients

• 1 litre reduced salt chicken stock
• 300g sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 2 medium avocados, peeled, stoned and diced
• ½ tsp of hot chilli powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat the stock in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
2. Add the sweet potato, onion, chilli powder and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
3. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
4. Add one avocado into the cooled sweet potato mixture and blend the soup using a hand blender until smooth.
5. Reheat before serving. Pour into shallow bowls and add remaining avocado chunks on top of the soup.

Ingredients

• 1 litre of water
• Large handful of mint leaves
• 500g frozen peas, thawed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 200ml crème fraiche

Method

1. Bring the water to the boil in a large saucepan and add a pinch of salt.
2. Add the mint leaves and return back to the boil.
3. Add the peas and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender.
4. Strain the mint and peas, and set aside the liquid.
5. Add the peas and mint back into the pan with just enough of the liquid to cover them. Blend with a hand blender until smooth.
6. Add the olive oil, 140ml of the crème fraiche and season well. Blend until smooth.
7. Reheat if needed and serve topped with a drizzle of crème fraiche and mint leaves.