VEGETABLE BROTH
After five weeks of being in Spain, eating and drinking lots of things I shouldn’t have!! Not to mention the kids eating far too many chips, the healthy eating routine begins.
The simplicity and flexible of this soup means it is accessible to any level of cooking. I tend to make stock from a whole small chicken or the remaining carcass from Sunday lunch. You could use thigh or leg bones, bought stock or even stock cubes. The stock is the basis for this soup so ensure it is full of flavour!

I also cool and chill my stock and then skim all the fat off it.

If you are lucky to be using a whole chicken, strip all the meat off it and add to the soup towards the end of cooking the veggies.
For the veggies, you have various options from buying individual vegetables and chopping or if you are pressed for time as I was today….buy them pre chopped (M&S) and chuck them in!
I’ll give you the basics along with various options for tarting it up!
2.5 l of good Chicken Stock (Veg Stock if you want)

600g Fresh Chopped Soup Veg (celery, leeks, carrots, parsley)

100g Soup Mix (pearl barley, yellow split peas, green split peas, red split lentils)

Maldon Sea Salt and Black Pepper
Bring the stock up to the boil and add the soup mix. Simmer for 1/2 hour.
Tip in the chopped soup veg, give it a stir and season with plenty of salt and pepper. I tend to be generous with the salt for this soup.
Simmer gently for 45 mins.
Check the seasoning and serve.
Total health in a bowl!

#healthyfood #cleaneating #soup #lovefood #comfortfood #arestaurantinmykitchen