Broccoli, pea and basil soup

I put this recipe on my huge list of things to cook!  It’s from the Hemsley & Hemsley book, The Art of Eating Well and I adapted the measurements for it to be made in my soup-maker. 

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 sticks of celery, chopped

A pinch of dried oregano

80g fresh basil, roughly chopped

250g frozen peas

Broccoli- as much as is needed to make the above ingredients up to 1kg in weight

1 and ½ pints of vegetable stock

Sea salt and black pepper to season, if needed

Method:

1.        Prepare your onion, garlic, celery, oregano, basil and frozen peas. Weigh all of these ingredients together and then add as much broccoli is needed to make the weight up to 1kg.

2.       Put in the soup-maker with your stock and select the ‘smooth’ setting.

3.       Season (if needed) and serve or you could divide between containers so that the soup can be frozen and eaten at a later date!

The finished product in 'Exorcist Green'

I served this with a warmed, wholemeal pitta and was really impressed with the bright colour of the soup, which I’ve called ‘Exorcist green’ (it did remind me a little of the scene in the film where excessive amounts of pea soup were used). 

The photos of the finished product even got the seal of approval from the Hemsley sisters themselves!

So, this will be my last post before I jet off for a week of all-inclusive indulgence and though I plan on enjoying the food on holiday, there is no way I’ll turn it into a sugar/ junk food binge either.  The holiday clothes are bought and packed, plus my clothes from last year still fit perfectly!

There's no better feeling than when your holiday clothes fit perfectly!

It's just more proof that putting good stuff into your body, exercising and avoiding fad diets allow you to be the best shape you have ever been.  Adios!