A simple root vegetable and spinach soup with sweetness from carrot and sweet potato and a warmth from spices.

The days started to stretch out, the sun came out and I thought I was over soup. 

I thought salads were the what it was all about, but the weather has been all over the place here in Scotland with some hot sunny, days and other bright days where there's still a bite of cold in the air. Soup is definitely still on the menu.

Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup with Spinach

The soup I'm sharing with you today is another of my fridge soups, where I check out what I have in the vegetable drawer and team the flavours with some spices to make an interesting and healthy soup.

The main flavours of the soup are carrots, sweet potato and spinach.

Smooth soup vs chunky soup

We don't eat many smooth soups in this house. My husband and son both prefer a chunky soup and I can see why that is their preference, although there are some soups like my tomato and red pepper soup, my yellow split pea soup or my roast onion soup, which are definitely better smooth.

I do mash my chunky soups to give it a bit of thickness, but only a little, leaving lots of big bits of vegetable to wrap your mouth around for that full comfort and a really filling meal.

Which do you prefer? A smooth soup or a chunky soup?

also try Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Slow cooker soup

I make most of my soups in a cast iron pot on the cooker top and this soup is no different, but you could make this soup in your slow cooker.

check out my easy vegetarian and vegan slow cooker recipes

Remember if you're making soup in a slow cooker, you need to cut down the liquid by a third.

You could cook it on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours and if you slow cooker has a saute function, you can cook your onion and garlic in a little oil before adding the other ingredients. 

I have to admit sometimes when I make a slow cooker soup, I skip this part and just throw it all in, with no pre-cooking.

You can also try my Scottish slow cooker vegetable soup.

also try - Carrot, Turmeric and White Bean Soup

5:2 Diet Soup

Soup is the perfect meal if you are following a calorie controlled diet like the 5:2 diet. It ticks all the boxes for low calorie and it also leaves you full and satisfied.

A generous bowl of this soup has 144 calories.

When following the 5:2 diet, you can have 800 calories on the new style of 5:2 diet revised in 2017 or 500 calories per day for a woman and 600 calories for a man on the original 5:2 diet fast plan.

I served my soup with buttered bloomers bread. I made the bread myself and I'll share that recipe with you soon. It has the most amazing crust!

Just remember to add the extra calories for bread if you add it.

also try Slow Cooker Carrot & Coriander Soup

5:2 Diet Tips

1. Plan the week ahead and keep meals simple.
2. Keep a note of ready made meals, 5:2 diet recipes and shop bought snacks that are low calorie to help with planning.
3. Drink lots of water on a fast day.
4. Start with a positive attitude and feel good about what you are doing, you are far more likely to succeed.
5. If you have a bad fast day and go way over your calorie limit, don't worry, there are other days.
6. If you're only a little over your fast, don't worry. An extra 50 or 60 calories won't stop the fast working. 500 calories (women), 600 (men), 800 (new fast diet) is just a number to aim for, not a magic number.
7. Download an app onto your phone and enter what you are eating and drinking. It lets you know how many calories you've had and really keeps you on track.
8. Keep busy. It's easier to fast on a day where you have lots to do as you aren't thinking about it all day.
9. Try not to overeat on the days between your fast. Your app will help you with this
10. Tell friends, families or a colleague you are fasting on your fast day. It's really encouraging and you are more likely to stick to your fast.

also try Broccoli, Carrot & Red Lentil Soup or Spicy Butternut Squash Soup with Orange Juice

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Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup with Spinach

Yield: 6-8

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum

prep time: 10 Mcook time: 30 Mtotal time: 40 M

A simple root vegetable and spinach soup with sweetness from carrot and sweet potato and a warmth from spices.

ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 large carrots, chopped
• 4 large parsnips, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, chopped
• 100g fresh spinach 
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 1/2 pints/1 1/4 litre/5 cups vegetable stock  (4 cubes)
• a good grinding of salt and pepper

instructions:

How to cook Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup with Spinach

1. In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft.
2. Add the vegetables and spices and cook gently for a few minutes.
3. Add the stock and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Use a potato masher to mash some of the veg, leaving plenty of vegetable chunks.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Calories
143.90

Fat (grams)
3.00

Sat. Fat (grams)
0.43

Carbs (grams)
28.68

Fiber (grams)
6.29

Net carbs
22.38

Sugar (grams)
8.53

Protein (grams)
2.98

Sodium (milligrams)
127.57

Cholesterol (grams)
0.00

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dinner

British, vegan

Created using The Recipes Generator

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