Use a range of tasty soups to get your five-a-day
Despite most of us knowing that we don't eat enough fruit and veg, it can be hard to squeeze those five portions in.
However, an easy way to boost your intake of veg and enjoy doing it is to eat plenty of soup.
And don't simply stock up on the type of soup that comes from a can either – it can be expensive, full of additives and high in salt and sugar.
Instead, why not try cooking up a batch of your own this week? You'd be surprised at just how quick, easy and cheap it is to make a variety of soups to suit all tastes.
All you need are a few basic ingredients, the extras for flavour and a hand blender and you will have a tasty evening or lunchtime meal in no time - why not make a large pot and freeze it ready for next time too?
Lots of people also assume that a bowl of soup won't be enough to fill them up, but this is not the case. You can add plenty of protein and carbohydrates into vegetable-based soup in the form of meat, diced potatoes, tofu, rice, noodles and macaroni, meaning you won't go hungry. You might even lose weight, as soup makes you feel nice and full for a long time, leading you to snack less.
For an easy starter recipe, try mushroom soup. Collect together a little olive oil, some mixed wild mushrooms, a couple of garlic cloves, some vegetable stock, low-fat crème fraiche and some salt and pepper and you have everything you need!
Broccoli and stilton soup is full of antioxidants that will help beat nasty diseases, while beetroot soup has iron and B vitamins. If you're a carrot fan, then try carrot and coriander or carrot and ginger soup, either of which will provide lots of A vitamins. You can also find an easy recipe for our Lightly Spiced Carrot Soup inside the Canderel Kitchen.
Don't forget tomato soup either, as this can be enjoyed in a range of ways. Why not try our Roasted Tomato soup using Canderel or a Tomato and Smoked bacon for a vitamin C-rich broth with a zingy taste.
Finally, pea soup is a classic favourite that is naturally sweet and can even be enjoyed cold during the summer months.
Try making some soup and see if you can boost your vegetable intake while reaping the benefits for your general health.
However, an easy way to boost your intake of veg and enjoy doing it is to eat plenty of soup.
And don't simply stock up on the type of soup that comes from a can either – it can be expensive, full of additives and high in salt and sugar.
Instead, why not try cooking up a batch of your own this week? You'd be surprised at just how quick, easy and cheap it is to make a variety of soups to suit all tastes.
All you need are a few basic ingredients, the extras for flavour and a hand blender and you will have a tasty evening or lunchtime meal in no time - why not make a large pot and freeze it ready for next time too?
Lots of people also assume that a bowl of soup won't be enough to fill them up, but this is not the case. You can add plenty of protein and carbohydrates into vegetable-based soup in the form of meat, diced potatoes, tofu, rice, noodles and macaroni, meaning you won't go hungry. You might even lose weight, as soup makes you feel nice and full for a long time, leading you to snack less.
For an easy starter recipe, try mushroom soup. Collect together a little olive oil, some mixed wild mushrooms, a couple of garlic cloves, some vegetable stock, low-fat crème fraiche and some salt and pepper and you have everything you need!
Broccoli and stilton soup is full of antioxidants that will help beat nasty diseases, while beetroot soup has iron and B vitamins. If you're a carrot fan, then try carrot and coriander or carrot and ginger soup, either of which will provide lots of A vitamins. You can also find an easy recipe for our Lightly Spiced Carrot Soup inside the Canderel Kitchen.
Don't forget tomato soup either, as this can be enjoyed in a range of ways. Why not try our Roasted Tomato soup using Canderel or a Tomato and Smoked bacon for a vitamin C-rich broth with a zingy taste.
Finally, pea soup is a classic favourite that is naturally sweet and can even be enjoyed cold during the summer months.
Try making some soup and see if you can boost your vegetable intake while reaping the benefits for your general health.
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