A bowl of soup to warm the cockles...

I love this time of year. Christmas is all over and done with, the decorations are down but there is a feeling of optimism in the air. A New Year, a fresh start, time to start implementing the plans that were conceived over the late nights with mulled wine during the holidays... OK, not ALL the plans, some of them were just a bit silly, but that's mulled wine for you ;)

Time, also, to get back to nice, plain, simple food after the over indulgence of the Christmas period. And what better food to eat at this time of year, when it's cold and grey, than a nice steaming bowl of wholesome, homemade soup :)

Today we had one of my personal favourites - its called 'Let's see what we have got left in the fridge' soup and it is really simple to make!

First you need to see what is in the fridge...

Today we had a head of broccoli, a couple of spuds, some ropey brown onions and a couple of 'definitely past their best' spring onions.

Get yourself a large saucepan and peel and chop all your veggies. Heat up a little butter or oil and throw in any onions or leeks and heat gently for a few minutes. Then add your root veg - potatoes, carrots etc and continue to cook, stirring so it doesn't stick. At this point I added some dried herbs and then a litre or so of vegetable stock. Bring it up to the boil then add the broccoli (or cabbage or whatever else you found in your fridge!). Simmer the lot for about 10-15 mins until all the veggies are tender then simply blend it all together to smooth creaminess.

Check for seasoning and add a little salt and pepper if you wish and there you have it!

 Ladle into bowls, add a swirl of cream or plain yoghurt and serve with lots of warm crusty bread...

Fabulous!!

A great way use up bits and pieces lurking in the veggie drawer that might otherwise get thrown away! Plus you're well on your way to your five-a-day too.

p.s. A tip if you too want to make 'Let's see what we've got left in the fridge' Soup - old lettuce makes fab soup! Bags of baby salad leaves, spinach, watercress, rocket etc with just a couple of spuds and onions makes the most velvety smooth and soothing broth. Quick to prepare and perfect after a long, hectic day. But please, if the leaves have turned into a black, soggy mess at the bottom of the bag - just throw it away!! Some things are beyond redemption...