I made a sacrifice when I bought our new fridge freezer, I decided to go for a slightly bigger fridge and a smaller freezer. I've had to say goodbye to my ice cream maker as the bowl wouldn't fit, but maybe that's for the best.
I wanted to make a bit of room in the freezer and I really wasn't using the frozen cauliflower or the frozen broccoli because I tend to buy that fresh. It had to go, so I came up with a plan. Soup.
The clearing-out-the-freezer soup plan didn't really work out. The soup was so quick, so good and so nutritious that I now have to make sure I always have frozen cauliflower and broccoli. It's actually become one of our favourite soups and it is a blessing on weeknights when we get home late and I need to throw a quick meal together.
The fun part is there is no preparation or chopping. I just throw all the ingredients and the stock into my Vitamix and whizz it up into a smooth delicious soup, then pour into a pan to heat it for a couple of minutes and serve. Voila!
Now I know you are already excited about this soup, but be prepared to be blown away.
This soup is very high in Vitamin C and Vitamin A and high in Vitamin B6, but that isn't the best part.
Are you sitting down?
Make this soup from supermarket value frozen vegetables and this soup costs just £1.20 for the whole pot, that's just 20p per serving.
Now on to the calories. This soup is great for the 5:2 Diet, which I seriously need to do properly again. It comes in at only 42 calories per serving (6 servings) or 50 calories for 4 servings.
Wow!
5 Minute Green Smoothie Soup
A no prep, quick soup that's packed with flavour and is super healthy. It's one you have to try. It's also a good meal if you are watching your weight or your pennies.
Ingredients
- 175g frozen broccoli
- 150g frozen cauliflower
- 100g frozen peas
- 75g frozen spinach
- 1½ pints/3 cups/1 litre vegetable stock (3-4 cubes)
- a good grinding of black pepper
Instructions
1. Boil the kettle and make up the stock.2. Place the frozen vegetables in a blender or food processor and cover with stock. 3. Whizz to blend into a smooth soup. If you don't have a Vitamix (buy one, no really it will be the best investment you ever make) leave the veg in the stock for a few minutes to soften before you whizz it up.4. Pour into a pan and heat, then season with pepper. It probably won't need salt as the stock can be salty.5. Serve and enjoy!
Details
Total time: Yield: Serves 4-6
I am entering my soup into 4 challenges.
1. No Croutons Required, a monthly vegetarian soup and salad challenge hosted this month by my co-host Lisa over at Lisa's Kitchen.
2. Extra Veg, a monthly challenge that hopes to help us all eat more veg. Set up by Helen over at Fuss Free Flavours and Michelle over at Utterly Scrummy, but hosted this month by Shaheen over at Allotment 2 Kitchen.
3. Credit Crunch Munch, a monthly challenge to help us watch our pennies. Set up by Helen over at Fuss Free Flavours and Camilla over at Fab Food For All, but hosted this month by Gingey over at Gingey Bites.
4. Family Foodies, a monthly family challenge run by Vanesther over at Bangers and Mash. The topic this month is cheap and cheerful.
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Wow, that looks amazing. The colour is incredible. (Sorry about previous comment feel free to delete hit the publish button a bit early on!)
ReplyDeleteHaha, I deleted it. That's the kind of thing I usually do. You must have been excited about the soup. It is amazing actually, the flavour is fabulous.
Deletebeautiful colour jac - after that isn't everything a bonus :-) but sad to hear about your lack of freezer space - I always wish for me - my freezer right now is full of cake and stock - not much room left
ReplyDeleteI am thinking of clearing out under the stairs and putting a small freezer in there. Well I am thinking of Graham doing, but I haven't told him yet, so keep that quiet.
DeleteWow - so GREEN! Love the sound of all those ingredients and can't believe the cost per serving :o)
ReplyDeleteI know, half the cost was the stock cubes. Value frozen veg is really cheap, so great if you're on a budget.
DeleteOoh! Cheap and cheerful! I love it! So green! I'll be adding this one to my juice diet!
ReplyDeleteGood! I think you'll like it Genna.
DeleteThis looks so tasty and wonderfully vibrant in colour.
ReplyDeleteI was pleased with the colour. It does make you want to dive in.
Deletelike you we have a smaller freezer than we would like and are forever trying to clear out with soups and casseroles. love this soup and the fact that it is such good value. looks v healthy but I won't hold that against it ;) (love the veg you have in here anyway)
ReplyDeleteIn a way this soup make up for a small freezer, for while I don't have room to store lots of homemade meals, I can throw this soup together in minutes.
DeleteI have to say, this is the sort of thing I love for 5:2 - and make infinite variations on. That from a non-smoothie lover - somehow hot soup isn't a smoothie!
ReplyDeleteHaha, well i thought it was more smoothie like, because there was no cooking the ingredients in oil at the start of soup. It was all made in the blender and the veg was raw just in the same way a smoothie is made. It felt like I was making a vegetable smoothie then warming it up.
DeleteBrilliant, and a great recipe to have on hand!
ReplyDeleteJanie x
It really is Jane :)
DeleteI love quick easy recipes like these. I ought to clear out my freezer actually and might be able to make something like this.
ReplyDeleteHehe, I know things can be forgotten in there. It's like that back of cupboards, although I am tackling them this week!
DeleteDelicious, I make a similar one and add some creme fraiche at the end, would bump up the calories though! Fab recipe!
ReplyDeleteYes, it would bump up the calories, but would be really delicious. I'll remember that when I have guest. Yum!
DeleteI'm not a fan of green smoothie but would love to try it as a soup! My OH is trying to convince me to buy bigger fridge but my point is - bigger fridge, more food, more spending ;)
ReplyDeleteAhhh well I have to say my fridge is still small, but slightly bigger than the built in one I had before. I could still do with a bigger fridge and freezer, but just don't have the room in my small kitchen.
DeleteWhat a beautiful vibrant green - amazing! Also very much loving the budget and diet-friendly aspect of this recipe too... I will be trying this out for sure.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy it. It's a regular in our house now. I may get to the point I make it too much. It is so tempting, Tasty, quick and a great way of getting greens into Cooper.
DeleteWhat a great super-speedy super-nutritious super-delish soup recipe Jac!!! I'm 100% going to try this in my new blender.
ReplyDeleteYay! Enjoy Lou :)
DeleteWhat a lush green smoothie soup. Thank you for linking to the event I'm hosting this month Jac.
ReplyDeleteThat's ok Shaheen, it was a good fit for my soup.
DeleteThanks for the inspiration for this soup which I have just made from fresh bits and pieces from the fridge and the frozen peas, a great way to use up fresh and frozen stuff. Plus, I also added some freshly grated nutmeg to mine (I love to add it to anything with spinach in it) - delicious! Just planned my 5:2 dinner tonight, I'm doing the Asparagus, Red Onion and Griddled Mushroom Salad from the Fast Diet Recipe Book and will add a poached egg to it too as it's only 110 cals :-)
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, nutmeg is super with spinach. I often add it too. Sounds like an excellent dinner Helen.
DeleteWhat a brilliant, low-cost soup, and such an amazing colour too! Love it! And so perfect for this month's Family Foodies challenge. Thanks so much for sharing Jacqueline :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you like it Vanesther :)
DeleteThis is so easy, healthy and delicious. Since I am not on a diet, thinking to add some cheese or cream. I like it to be more thick and creamy. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah definitely, go for it, grated cheese or cream would be good.
Deleteas a child, i would've turned my nose up at this, but it sounds wonderful to me now! so healthy, so smart, so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHehe, it's funny how our tastes and attitudes about food change as we get older.
DeleteYou're right! I saw a Vitamix demo the other day in whole foods and they look amazing! I really want one! This looks fabulous! Such a great colour too.
ReplyDeleteThey are amazing. My Vitamix, GHDs and Touche Eclat are my 3 essentials in life.
DeleteOh wow, how you turn such simple ingredients into a a dish that looks so tasty! Great idea for a healthy soup - I'll definitely try this!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tina :)
DeleteLovely colour and packed with vitamins - will introduce this recipe to my Vitamix!
ReplyDeleteI think you will enjoy it Ren and perfect for the end of your pregnancy when you are tired and everything is hard work. Nice and nutritious too.
DeleteHow quick and healthy - the colour is great! Thanks for entering this into Credit Crunch Munch during my month as host! :-)
ReplyDeleteRemember to check country of origin of frozen veg on the pack
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous cheap and healthy soup Jacs, thank you for entering Credit Crunch Munch:-)
ReplyDeleteI am going to have to try this, as I like the quick and easy aspect of this!
ReplyDeleteIt's really tasty too.
DeleteCan you store the rest of the soup and consume later days?
ReplyDeleteI usually keep soup in the fridge for 3 days most, if I want to keep it beyond that I pop it in the freezer, although to be honest it never lasts beyond day two.
DeleteShe'll give you an outlet for your passionate disappointment when you begin having that inescapable feeling of weariness with the entire thing.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.healthpally.com/developing-healthy-lifestyle-2/