Courgette and pea soup
Sally Bee's vivid green soup is one of her favourite lunch recipes.
She says: "Peas are packed with folic acid and Vitamin B6, both of which are proven to improve cardiovascular health, and this benefit is not lost when the peas are cooked. Plus, it's super simple to make!"
Ingredients
Serves 6
1 bouquet garni3 sprigs of thyme4 sprigs of parsleySmall bunch of mint2 cloves1.3kg (3lb) (shelled weight) fresh peas (or use frozen, if not in season)50g (2oz) spinach1 large courgette, chopped2 Little Gem lettuces, shredded1 tbsp olive oil2 leeks, trimmed and diced8 celery sticks, finely dicedFreshly ground black pepperLow fat crème fraîche, to serve
Method
In a large lidded saucepan, bring 2 litres (3 1/2 pints) of unsalted water to the boil
Add the herbs, cloves and peas and simmer for 30 minutes until the peas are very soft
Meanwhile, wash the spinach and remove the stems, and shred the lettuce leaves
Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan set over a medium heat and sauté the leeks, courgettes and celery for 4 minutes. Then add these to the pea mixture.
Finally, add the spinach and lettuce leaves to the soup at the end of the cooking time for the peas and simmer for just 2 more minutes
Add a good helping of black pepper on top and serve hot with a swirl of low fat crème fraîche
Sally's tip: Don’t forget to remove the bouquet garni and herb sprigs before you take the soup off the heat and whiz it up with a hand-held blender.