Slimming World Tomato Soup

Hi there,

Just popping on my blog very quickly to share a fab recipe for Tomato Soup which I made for lunch today.  I first heard about the recipe on our Slimming World Facebook Group Page so I searched it up and found it on Pinterest.  I would link back to the recipe here but the pinned link doesn't take you to the right place 😞

The recipe says it's just like Heinz cream of tomato soup - it isn't!  But if you don't think of it as being like Heinz and and enjoy it in it's own right it's actually quite tasty!  It is also really quick and simple to make and uses cheap store cupboard ingredients you'll probably already have.

Slimming World Tomato Soup

Serves 4

Zero Syns

Ingredients:
1 x tin baked beans
2 x tin chopped tomatoes
1 x tin carrots, drained
3 x pickled onions
1 vegetable (or chicken) stock cube
1/2 pint boiling water

Method:
Place all ingredients in a large pan, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 mins.  Blend until smooth and add seasoning if liked.

It really is that simple!  I like to make a big batch of it and freeze individual portions for packed lunches to take to work.

Talking of work I'm off to bed as tomorrow is my first day back after new year - wish me luck!

Hugs,
Shona xx

Minestrone Soup

Hi there,

It's a dark, wet day here in the North of Scotland so perfect weather for a warming bowl of soup.  Today's recipe is for Minestrone Soup, it's one I've made for a number of years and originally came from a magazine although I can't remember which one, I've now even lost the piece of paper I had it written on!  It's also a brilliant recipe for Slimming World as it has lots of 'speed' veg and protein from the bacon and beans, and is very filling!

Minestrone Soup

Serves 6-8

Syn Free on Slimming World

Ingredients:
Low calorie spray oil
4 bacon medallions, chopped,
2 onions, chopped
1 x 450g pack ready diced carrot & swede mix
100g french/green beans cut into short lengths
250g brussels sprouts or savoy cabbage, shredded
2 medium potatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp dried basil
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1.2 litres ham stock
50g spaghetti broken into short lengths
2 x 420g can baked beans in tomato sauce
salt, pepper and artificial sweetener to taste

Method:
Heat the spray oil in a large pan and add the bacon and onion.  Cook for around 5 mins until the onions are starting to soften and the bacon is beginning to brown.  Add the carrot & swede, french beans, brussels sprouts or cabbage, potatoes and garlic and cook for another 5 mins stilling frequently.  Add the basil, tomato puree, chopped tomatoes and stock.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 mins until the vegetables are tender.  Add the spaghetti and baked beans and continue to cook for another 10-15 mins until the pasta is cooked.  Season to taste with salt, pepper and a little artificial sweetener to take the sharpness off all the tomatoes.

This keeps in the fridge for a few days, and also freezes well, and is great for a lunchtime meal.  I've just had 2 bowls of it!!!

Hugs,
Shona xx

Mushroom Soup

Good morning,

Here's a lovely thick and creamy soup recipe I made last week but didn't get a chance to put on my blog.

I got the idea from a veggie cook book I had years ago but have added some more herbs and garlic along the way.

Mushroom Soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

10g butter

1 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, roughly chopped

2 x 650g packs mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped (I used Asda Smart Price cheapies)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed
2 med-large floury potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
750ml vegetable stock (I used 2 stock cubes)
5 tbsp double cream, plus extra to garnish, if liked
Salt & Freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large saucepan.  Add the onions and cook over a low heat with the lid on for about 5 mins stirring occasionally.  Add the mushrooms, garlic and potatoes and cook for around another 5 mins stirring regularly.  Add the herbs and stock and bring to the boil.  Put on the lid and reduce the heat, simmer for around 30 mins.  Allow the soup to cool slightly then blend or liquidise.  I like the soup thick but if you'd prefer add some more stock or water at this stage.  Add the cream and reheat gently.  Season to taste then serve with some more cream swirled in the middle, if liked.

Curried Parsnip Soup

Good Morning!

It's a lovely sunny morning here in Inverness but the last few days have been very Autumnal.  Just the sort of weather when you think about a nice warm bowl of soup!  This recipe is out of my Soil Association Soup Book and is an original one from the 70's by Jane Grigson.

Curried Parsnip Soup

Serves 4 

Ingredients:
1 heaped tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 dried red chilli or 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1 rounded tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ground fenugreek
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, halved
675g/1 1/2 lb parsnips, peeled, cored and diced
30g/1 oz butter
1 tbsp plain flour
1 litre/1 3/4 pints vegetable, beef or chicken stock
salt & freshly ground black pepper
150ml/5fl oz cream
chopped parsley or chives to garnish (optional)

Method:
Whiz the first five ingredients in a coffee mill, or pound the whole spices in a mortar, then mix with the ground spices.  Put the mixture in a small jar - you will not need it all for this recipe.

Cook the onion, garlic and parsnips gently in the butter, lid on the pan, for ten minutes.  Stir in the flour and 1-2 tbsp of the spice mixture.  Cook for 2 minutes, giving it a good stir from time to time.  Pour in the stock gradually, stirring constantly.  Bring to the boil and leave to simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the parsnips are really tender.

Puree until smooth in a blender, then dilute to taste with water.  Season to taste with salt & freshly ground pepper, then reheat.  Add the cream and serve scattered with chives or parsley or with a swirl of cream as I've done here.

Broccoli & Smoked Cheese Soup

Hello again,

I'm back with another soup recipe today.  This one originated as a recipe in a vegetarian cookbook I got as a present many years ago.  The original recipe used stilton but I'm not a big fan of blue cheeses so I adapted it by using mature cheddar.  Making it with smoked cheese has been a recent variation but I really like it.

Broccoli & Smoked Cheese Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:
10 ml spoon olive oil
knob of butter
1 onion, chopped
1 head of broccoli (approx 300g), cut into small florets
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 litre veg stock
100g smoked cheese (I used Applewood), grated or crumbled
3 tbsp double cream
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil and butter in a large pan, add the onion and cook for a few mins until softened.  Add the broccoli and garlic and continue to cook for a few mins more, stirring regularly.  Add the thyme and stock.  Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins or until the vegetables are tender.  Blend the soup then reheat in the pan with the cheese until melted.  Add the cream and heat through.  Check the seasoning you will probably not need to add salt with using the smoked cheese but you'll need a good grind of pepper.

This is just as good made with mature cheddar or stilton if you like it.

Shona x

English Onion Soup

Hello again,

Here's a recipe I tried a few weeks back - English Onion Soup!  Just like French Onion but made with cider instead of wine!  Again, I made it using the onions hubby grew in our garden.  The recipe is from the Asda website.

English Onion Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 15g unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 500g large brown onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 15g plain flour
• 500ml reduced-salt beef stock
• 500ml cider
• 1 small baguette
• 75g mature Cheddar

1. Melt the butter and oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and stir until they're well coated. Cook over a low heat, stirring often, until soft.
2. Stir in the sugar and continue to cook over a low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until they're a deep golden brown. As you stir, make sure you take the spoon right into the base of the pan to ensure the onions don't catch in places.
3. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring all the time, for a further 1 minute. Gradually stir in the stock and then the cider. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes.
4. Preheat the grill. Slice the baguette and put in a single layer on a grill pan. Grill until toasted on one side. Turn over and sprinkle with the cheese, then grill until it melts.
5. Divide the soup between 6 bowls and top each one with slices of bread. Sprinkle with black pepper, to serve.

That's all for tonight, see you again soon.

Shona xx