COURGETTE & YOGURT SOUP

Soups of this sort usually need some kind of thickener, which tends to be rice, potatoes or flour, but we’re using a small amount of lentils here instead. They’re better for you and work just as well, if not better, for thickening the soup. Velvety and scrumptious.

SERVES 4

★ 1 tbsp olive oil

★ 1 small onion, finely chopped

★ 1 leek, sliced

★ 2 large courgettes (about 400g), sliced

★ 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

★ 1 tsp dried mint

★ zest and juice of 1 lime

★ 25g red lentils

★ 750ml vegetable or chicken stock

★ 100g greek yogurt or kefir

★ salt and black pepper

To garnish (optional)

★ 2 tsp olive oil

★ 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds 1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and leek and sauté them over a low heat until translucent. Add the courgettes and garlic and stir for another couple of minutes, then add the dried mint, lime zest and red lentils.

2 Pour in the stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then turn down the heat and cover the pan. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the lentils have started to disintegrate – about 15 minutes.

3 For the garnish, if using, heat the olive oil in a small frying pan and add the pumpkin seeds. Stir-fry until they smell toasted.

4 Purée the soup with a stick or jug blender until quite smooth and flecked with green. Add the yogurt or kefir and stir it in until completely combined. Heat the soup very gently – you don’t want the yogurt to separate – then stir in the lime juice. If using the garnish, sprinkle some on top of each serving.