Quick and healthy beetroot soup

In a soup pan fry the following for 3 mins in some sunflower oil:

• 2 red onions, chopped
• 3 small thinly sliced carrots
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric powder

Then add:

• 1 thinly sliced bell-pepper

Cook/fry for another 3 mins, possibly adding a bit of water to ease the cooking, and then add:

• 1 litre chicken/vegetable stock
• salt to taste
• 4 pre-cooked packaged beetroots sliced 2 ways

Cook for another 4 minutes, then smooth using a hand blender, add a tin of lentils and cook for another 4 mins.  Decorate with sprouts (optional).

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Thai pumpkin and lentil soup

I love this one because it is so easy to make, with just two cooking steps, but rich in taste.  Here goes:

Fry one chopped onion in 3 tbs sunflower oil until soft, then add:

• one pumpkin, washed, not peeled and chopped in approx 2 or 3 cm cubes (after seeds are scooped out)
• 600 ml chicken stock
• one orange or tangerine, cut in 4 pieces
• 2 or 3 carrots, sliced
• 40g of your favourite curry paste, preferably yellow
• one 400g coconut milk

Let cook gently for 25 mins until pumpkin and carrot are soft, then add one small tin of lentils and cook further for another 5 mins.

Once ready add a little cream (optional) and cream with a hand blender.  Add some water if required.

Add 20 g of chopped coriander.