SPINACH & WHITE BEAN SOUP, Vegan with Carnivore/Pescatarian options; Office lunch,

This is one of those simple workaday stick-to-the ribs soups that's no-nonsense  but spectacularly tasty...

Healthy 'Gosh I'm hungry after working all day/ready for lunch!' soup; 30 mins prep
'I could eat loads of this; it is so tasty and comforting!' Taster

It's also budget- friendly and packed with nutrients, made from mostly cupboard ingredients.  Better still, it can be part-prepared the night before, saving you even more time before a bowlful hits the table. 

Have it for dinner or lunch or transport it to the office in a thermos.  Blitzed and served in small cups, the soup makes a warming 'welcome!' to a party.  

Cost: min £2.25 depending on quality of ingred
Feeds: 5-6

Ingred:
   2-3 tbsp good olive oil (don't skimp; it really makes the soup more flavoursome)
   med onion, peeled & diced
   3 cloves garlic, peeled & grated 
   1/3-1/2 tsp dried thyme
   1/3-1/2 tsp dried basil (??)
   
   4 cups good veg stock (granules are fine) 
   
   2 bay leaves
   1 cup cooked brown rice OR 2/3 cup washed drained easy-cook white rice or orzo pasta 

   2 mugs packed spinach, washed, grotty stems and leaves removed
   425gm/15oz tin cannelloni beans (organic have best texture) rinsed thoroughly and drained

  1 cup water
  
  juice lemon or lime
  pepper & salt to taste
   
   Garnish: croutons

Method:

1. Heat a large heavy-bottomed pan on med heat; when hot, add olive oil
2. Add onion & garlic, cook 2-3 mins, stirring frequently; onions should be  translucent but not brown
3. Add thyme & basil, stir a min until fragrant
4. Add stock and bay leaves, bring to a boil (At this stage, the mix can be cooled and refrigerated till ready to proceed.)
5. Add rice, reduce heat, simmer 12 mins
6. Stir in spinach, beans and lemon juice; after 2 mins, spinach should be wilted
7. If mix is too thick for your taste, add up to 1 cup water
8. Remove bay leaves;  Stir in juice and pepper & salt 
9. The soup is perfect as it is but is equally tasty blitzed in a smoothie maker 

   

   Pureed Spinach & White Bean Soup
   with Fried Toast Croutons

   .
10. Garnish with chopped chives or Memorable Crunchy Croutons (opt)

Comments:
'This was unbelievably good, not at all stodgy or heavy.  I loved it both ways - thick and chunky AND smooth.   No problem having this again.' Retired writer.

Tips:

• The longer it sits; the better it tastes but also the more it absorbs liquid; add water accordingly
• Garnishes for non-vegetarians: crisp bacon bits
• Garnishes for carnivores: crisply fried bacon, shredded cooked chicken 

Adapted from DamnDelicious

(Questions/comments, email  b67goingon50@yahoo.co.uk 
and say if they can be included in the blog)

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.