One of the hardest challenges for me when I am trying to watch my food intake is being hungry. Coming from a large Maltese family we all love food, love to cook, and love to eat … and for anyone that knows me, they know just how much I can eat!
So while I am spring cleaning my “winter body”, guided by Dr Michael Mosley’s book “The Fast 800” (see here), I have turned to soups to help fill me up. In amongst the book’s recipes there is a Pea and Spinach Soup that I was drawn to, but I knew immediately from the few ingredients used that I would need to “tart it up” for my taste buds, and this is the result.
Lemon is nature’s seasoning and I use it whenever I can, so making it one of the principal flavours in this soup lightens up the pea and spinach flavours, and allows the soup to be served either hot or cold.
In the evening I have been enjoying the soup hot in a small bowl at the start my dinner before I dive into my plate of veggies, protein, and salad … and it is doing the trick by filling me up.
I have also tried the soup cold for lunch, and as a mid afternoon snack when the “munchies” hit me, by sipping it from a small glass as a form of “veggie smoothie” and it is delicious … not too thick, velvety smooth, and quite filling, all of which helps to keep the hunger pains at bay. Just add a little seasoning to it before sipping.
You don’t need to include the “topping”, but as part of my experimenting I added it as I do like to “crunch” on something, so if you are like me then this is something you may like too … I must admit it does add a nice touch, particularly if you are entertaining.
If you don’t have veggie stock paste then substitute the water and stock paste with 600g commercial veggie stock.
This is a very quick and easy recipe to make, and keeps for at least five days in the fridge.
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 200g leek, white part only, peeled and cut into chunks
- 50g butter
- 200g baby spinach leaves
- 20g mint, leaves and stems
- 300g frozen peas
- 550g filtered water
- 50g veggie stock paste
- Zest of 2 lemons, save juice for adding later
- 100g cream
- 2 tsp sea salt flakes, or 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 3 to 4 tbls lemon juice, plus more if needed
- Mixed seeds of choice (I used toasted pepitas and sunflower seeds, hemp seeds and Nigella seeds)
- Cream to drizzle
- Place garlic, leek and butter into TM bowl and chop 5 seconds / speed 5
- Scrape around bowl and sauté 5 minutes / Veroma / speed 1 / MC off
- Add 100g spinach leaves and the mint and chop 5 seconds / speed 5
- Add the last 100g spinach leaves and chop 5 seconds / speed 5
- Add peas, water and stock paste (or commercial stock), and lemon zest and cook 10 minutes / 100 / speed 1
- Blend 1 minute / speed 9, slowly turning speed dial to speed 9
- Add cream, salt, pepper and 3 tbls lemon juice and blend 20 seconds / speed 4
- Taste and add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice if preferred (I like mine quite lemony so added 4 tbls lemon juice)
- Serve as is, or if you prefer drizzle with a little cream and sprinkle over seeds of choice
- Keeps well in fridge for at least five days
This is a very quick and easy recipe to make, and keeps for at least five days in the fridge.
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