Lunch: Vegetable Soup

Alternate title: Cream of {whatever is at the bottom of the fridge crisper} soup

S1

I am most lazy with my eating at lunchtime. I usually have been running around doing Mum/house stuff all morning in between work/Beth stuff before I realise I’m starving so shove 3 consecutive pieces of white bread with a shit load of Lurpak over it’s back and either vegemite and peanut butter. It satisfies for approximately 20 mins before I’m hungry again or bloated and hiccupy (anyone else get the hiccups EVERY TIME you eat white bread? Me too!) It’s lazy. It’s not tasty. And I am 36 years old, not 8 anymore. Time to mix it up!

Today, it’s absolutely freezing out there so when I looked at the bottom of the veggie crisper in the fridge and saw stuff that needs to be used I had one thought: soup. The thing about soup is that you think it’s harder than it is. IT’S NOT. You think it takes ages. IT DOESN’T. And it tastes a shit load better than a vegie sambo. Use whatever you have in there – anything will work. ANYTHING.

Cream of Vegetable Soup

1 leek
Half a butternut pumpkin
Small bunch broccoli
Half bunch cauliflower
Olive oil
Few cloves of garlic
1 litre chicken stock (obviously use veggie if you are that way inclined)
Salt & Pepper
Dash of cream (because really, cream makes soup better right?)

Roughly chop all your veggies. Seriously, hack them up, they will be blitzed anyway so it doesn’t matter. It should take you 2 mins tops.

S2 S3

Into a heavy based saucepan add a dash of oil and the 3 cloves garlic. Toss in the leeks and broccoli/cauliflower to soften slightly. Add in salt and LOTS of pepper.

S4

After another say 2 mins of cooking this stuff add in the pumpkin, toss and then add in the litre chicken stock (I just use the store-bought stuff for this, but if you have some made…go you!) Leave to simmer away for say 15 mins until the pumpkin is soft.

S5 S6

Get your blitzer stick thingy and puree until smooth. If you don’t have one just transfer to food processor and smooth it out that way. Add in a dash of cream, more salt and pepps and get into a bowl.

S7 S8

I had some toasted sourdough (because bread I just can’t quit) a shitload of lurpak over it’s back and a drizzle of oil because that’s what Jamie Oliver does. In hindsight, it would appear that this is the same lunch I usually have, just without vegemite and with soup instead. Huh.

S9

What did you have for lunch today? Was it any good?
Have a problem with butter like me? It’s OK. You’re in good company.

Comments

  1. Denica Gorman says

    I recently perfected the art of making veggie broth at work using only a microwave. Carrot+Broccoli+Beans+Veggie Stock+crushed chilli into a microwave = veggie broth toot sweet.
    I feel like this makes up for my snack drawer

  2. Butter is a genetic problem for me. When found my mum covering her pizza crust in butter last time I was home she said to me ‘but thats why I have cholesterol tablets’ she’s right she just needs to change the emphasis! your lunch looks delicious.

  3. Toasted sammich – tomato and Swiss cheese on rye. ALWAYS good. πŸ˜‰
    Re butter -been on the Nuttelex for years now.

  4. Something Gorgeous says

    Oh Lurpak is the best. xT

  5. Lydia Woodroff says

    yum! I’ve also discovered (thanks to Nigella) that if you roast your butternut squash in the oven (with lashings of butter, OF COURSE, and cumin!) and then blitz it afterwards you don’t even need to faff around with the peeling bit! I think she then adds in pine nuts and blue cheese πŸ™‚

  6. ahoy.jenni says

    My standard work day lunch is lettuce or rocket or whatever green bits are growing with whatever is in the fridge, capsicum, cucumber, avocado etc chopped up with a tin of salmon or tuna over the top and balsamic vinegar, sometimes some chopped nuts, herbs etc. Other days it might be quinoa instead of the lettuce and other other days it might be a fantastic shop made sausage roll from the local deli with tomato sauce. I don’t buy lurpak cause I know I would eat it like you do !!

  7. Judi McCowen says

    I just bought a Soup Maker….you know….the one that they advertise on TV with an ad that goes on and on and on. It’s the best thing that I’ve ever purchased (apart from a pressure cooker) and I can’t wait to try your recipe.

  8. OMG Yes damn Hiccups EVERY time. Worth it though πŸ™‚ x

  9. Thanks for the soup idea. Its lunch time here in Patagonia, we are all home (kids can’t get to school as it is so icy on the road) it has snowed so much in the last two days we have over 35cm of fresh snow in the garden and it is about -3degrees outside or so, and I am craving a hot healthy soup! ta love!

  10. Sarah-Jane Sheridan says

    Finally a soup I can make!!!
    I’ve always sucked at making soup, I’ve always followed the ‘recipe’ to a T, but it never worked.
    Deciding to take a leaf out of your book and threw ‘whatever was in the bottom of the vegie crisper’ and it worked. It bloody worked!!!!
    Thanks Bev!!!

  11. Lisa Mckenzie says

    I love soup I could eat it everyday,but don’t and like you am pretty lazy about lunch unless there is something good left over ,today I had ravioli cause that’s what we had for dinner last night ,and I liked it ,with cheese and parsley sprinkled on the top!

  12. I am a total lunch delinquent too! Usually a handful of nuts here and marmalade on toast there — not exactly a balanced diet. You’ve inspired me to clean out my feral veggie drawer and feel all soup-perior!

  13. Kathy Herder says

    Love your blog to bits! I am a lurpack addict, I love the stuff either in the tub or block as long as it’s lurpack! Hope you are well xo

  14. Perfect rainy Sunday afternoon soup recipes here Beth. Bottom of the fridge, here I come.

  15. It’s called ‘crisper soup’ in my house πŸ™‚

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