Mimi Spencer
Mimi Spencer and Sam Rice met at the school gates and became firm friends through their mutual passion for healthy great food. They are co-authors of the best selling cookbook THE MIDLIFE KITCHEN.
Mimi’s All Green Soup
Mimi Spencer
Effort:
Complexity:
Cost:
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
5 cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced
1 tsp ground coriander
5cm piece fresh turmeric root, peeled and grated, or 1 tsp ground turmeric
1 star anise
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
500ml vegetable stock
2 courgettes, sliced
1 head broccoli, chopped (include tender stalks)
2 large handfuls kale, chopped
Juice of 2 limes
A handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
To serve: 2-3 tbsp natural, unsweetened yoghurt (optional)
Veg Portions / Serving: 3
Recipe donated by Mimi Spencer & Sam Rice for Veg Power. Recipe adapted from The Midlife Kitchen by Mimi Spencer and Sam Rice, published by Mitchell Beazley. Photography by Issy Croker | issycroker.com
Forget green juice or anything that tastes remotely of garden clippings, the perfect way to get your fill of leafy greens is in a soup – and this is the best we’ve tasted. Pile in the veg, simmer it down, give it a quick pulse in the blender, and there you have it: a delightful bowl of antioxidant goodness. Add a generous spoonful of natural yoghurt for a creamy tang and some extra protein to keep you fuller for longer. Use your on-their-way-out green veggies for a great food waste beating soup!
Method:
Put the oil in a large pan, add the garlic, ginger, coriander, turmeric, star anise, salt and pepper, and fry on a medium heat for 2 minutes, then add 3 tbsp of stock to give a little moisture to the spices.
Add the courgettes, mixing well to coat the slices. Add the remaining stock and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the broccoli, kale and lime juice and simmer for a further 3-4 minutes until all the vegetables are softened. You may have to add a little more water depending on the volume of greens, but plenty of moisture will be released from the vegetables.
Take off the heat and add the chopped parsley. Remove the star anise and pour everything into a blender. Blitz until almost smooth. Reheat if necessary and serve with a yoghurt swirl.
Kids in the kitchen:
Get older kids chopping and prepping the veg, and younger ones washing and tearing the kale leaves off the stalks. Have them carefully add the veg to the pan and blitz up the soup when it is ready (allow to cool slightly for younger kids).
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