Zero Point Soups

Zero Point Soups are a delicious way of filling up on those days where you are hungry or perhaps saving your points for a meal out. They keep for a few days in the fridge and are great to have on stand-by in the freezer. Here are some of my favourite recipes, I shall add more when I discover one and I'd love to hear of new ones to try :)

Curried Pumpkin Soup

1.5 kilos Pumpkin, de-seeded, peeled and chopped.

2 Onions, peeled and quartered.

1.2 litres Vegetable Stock.

1 tsp Curry Powder

Salt & Pepper

Pop the Pumpkin and Onion into a roasting tray and cook in the oven for 45 minutes at 220°C, until they are turning soft and browning.  Remove from the oven and place in a large saucepan with the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Now the mixture is ready to be blended, add the curry powder, salt and pepper and blitz away.

Carrot, Celeriac and Coriander Soup

1/2 a Celeriac, pealed and diced

8 Carrots, pealed and diced

1.5 litres Vegetable Stock

a large handful of Coriander

Pop the Carrots and Celeriac into a large pan with the vegetable stock.  Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about half an hour until the vegetables are soft.  Roughly chop the coriander and add to the pan with some seasoning if desired, give it a quick stir and blitz it all up.

Slow Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup

8 Tomatoes, halved

4 Shallots, peeled and halved

2 large cloves of Garlic, peeled

500 ml Vegetable Stock

400 ml Passata

1 tbsp Basil (Fresh or Frozen), finely chopped

Pop the tomatoes, shallots and garlic into a roasting tray and cook in the oven for 1.5-2 hours at 125°C, at which point they may look a little dry but the slow roasting helps to bring out all the natural sweetness. Transfer the vegetables to a large pan and add the stock and passata, bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes before adding the basil and blitzing.

Lemony Courgette Soup

4 Large Courgettes, 2cm thick slices

4 Red Onions, halved

3 Carrots

1 litre Vegetable Stock

1 Lemon, squeezed juice and pulp

1 tbsp Fresh Mint, roughly chopped

Put the courgettes and onions into a large roasting tray and cook in the oven at 175°C for 45 minutes.  Meanwhile peel and slice the carrots and put into a large saucepan with the Vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 25-30 minutes.  Remove the Courgettes and onions from the oven and add to the saucepan with the lemon juice, fresh mint and plenty of freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes before blitzing and serving.

Pear and Pumpkin Soup

1 Pumpkin, de-seeded peeled and chopped
3 Onions, peeled and roughly chopped
3 Pears, peeled, cored and chopped
1.5 litres Vegetable Stock
1 teaspoon Powdered Ginger
Salt and Pepper

Pop the Pumpkin into a roasting tray and cook in the oven for 45 minutes at 220°C, until soft and browning. Put the chopped onions and pears into a large saucepan with the vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes before adding the Pumpkin and simmering for another 20 minutes.  Season with the salt, pepper and ginger just before blitzing.