Toad soup! Ok Ok, it isn’t toad soup (that’s just what my family call it), but don’t you just love the deep green colour? A great soup for Halloween don’t you think?!

I love soups, especially as it gets cooler and you want something healthy, simple and heart-warming to eat. This recipe uses up left over veggies lurking in the veggie drawer and so is cheap to make, simple (a one-pot wonder!) and is healthy and satisfying too. I love to serve mine with some crusty bread or tomato chia salsa and guacamole topped bruschetta (as seen in the photo).

This broccoli spinach soup tastes deliciously fresh, velvety and savoury. The savoury umami flavour is provided by nutritional yeast, making this soup ideal for vegans, although non-vegans could use Parmesan instead. The sweet potato adds a little natural sweetness, but you could also substitute for pumpkin or chickpeas (which adds a slightly nutty flavour). To make this creamy, you can add optional protein powder. Alternatively, you could use a few chunks of tofu or cashew cream.

Broccoli and spinach are packed with anti-oxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds and so help keep boost the immune system; ideal for this time of year when there are a lot of Winter bugs around. They are also high in fibre, so help keep you fuller for longer and reduce blood cholesterol levels, so helps look after your heart and circulatory system. The spot of wheatgrass boosts the nutritional profile, helping to energise, boost metabolism and the immune system, reduce inflammation and improve detoxification of harmful toxins from the body. Food for the body and soul!

I love batch cooking this recipe in the weekend and taking some for lunch during the working week too.

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. coconut oil
• 3 plump garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 small white onion, diced
• Bunch of spring onion, sliced
• 2 large celery sticks, sliced
• 2 medium sweet potatoes or half a small pumpkin (approx. 350g) cut into chunks or half a can of chickpeas
• 4L vegetable stock
• 1 large head of broccoli (approx. 500g), cut into florets
• 200g large bag of spinach
• 4 tbsp. nutritional yeast (or parmesan for non-vegans)
• 4 tbsp. protein powder (soya bean or pea).
• ½-1 tsp. wheatgrass powder (If you are a wheatgrass newbie, you may want to opt for the lower amount)
• ¼ tsp. salt
• Black pepper to taste

To decorate: Toasted pumpkin seeds, cracked flaxseed and a cashew cream drizzle

Method:

• In a large pot, sauté the garlic, onions, spring onions and celery with a little coconut oil for 3-4 mins until the onion starts to brown.
• Add the sweet potato or pumpkin chunks, or chickpeas and simmer for 8 mins.
• Add the stock. Bring to the boil.
• Add the broccoli and simmer for 5 min.
• Then add the spinach, nutritional yeast, protein powder, wheatgrass and salt and pepper.
• Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if required. Ladle into bowls and decorate.
• To make cashew cream: soak 50g or raw cashews with cold water (enough to cover them). Drain then add 180ml fresh water and blend until smooth. With a teaspoon drop little puddles around the edge of the soup bowl and then if you want to be artistic, drag a toothpick/ through the puddles to create a leaf-like effect.

Don’t forget you can find my favourite recipes in my FREE eBook here.