Fresh tomato soup with cheesy cornbread

This soup is packed with fresh veg, including tomatoes, a key dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to cardiovascular health benefits. They are also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin K, important for bone health. The bread will keep you going as a filling source of carbs.

SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 40 mins EASY V ❄ For the bread

40g wholemeal self-raising flour 85g ground polenta

1 tsp baking powder

40g mature cheddar, finely grated 1 tsp smoked paprika

3 spring onions (35g), finely sliced 1 green chilli, deseeded, finely sliced

1 large egg

125ml milk

For the soup

2 tsp rapeseed oil

3-5 sticks celery (165g), finely chopped

2 onions, chopped

4 carrots (320g), diced

325g floury potatoes, grated 500g tomatoes, chopped

4 tsp vegetable bouillon powder made up to 11/2 litre with boiling water

3 tbsp tomato purée

2 large garlic cloves, finely grated flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to serve

1 First, make the bread. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line the base of a non-stick 500g loaf tin with baking parchment. Tip the flour, polenta and baking powder into a bowl with half the cheese, the paprika, onions and chilli, then toss together. Add the egg and milk and mix well. Turn out into the tin and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

2 To make the soup, heat the oil in a large pan and fry the celery, onion and carrots for 10 mins until softened. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, bouillon, tomato purée and garlic, then stir well. Cover with a lid and cook for 20 mins.

3 Remove from the heat and blitz until smooth with a hand blender. Spoon half the soup into two bowls and scatter with parsley. Cool, then chill the remainder for another day and wrap the remaining bread in foil and store in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat the soup in a pan or microwave, and slice and toast the bread before serving.

GOOD TO KNOW healthy • low fat • low cal • calcium • fibre • vit c • 3 of 5-a-day

PER SERVING 406 kcals • fat 14g • saturates 4g • carbs 53g • sugars 17g • fibre 9g • protein 13g • salt 1g