Autumn Vegetable Broth

I have to admit that prior to my recent medical diagnosis, I really wasn't eating very well.   I only ever very seldom ate any fruit and my veg intake was way down as well.  Oddly enough when I was working full time, I always got my veg and fruit in, but being retired and on a limited income . . .  I hadn't been doing very well with any of that.

 

It certainly has presented me with a challenge, but so far I think I am doing very well.   Dishes like this fabulous vegetable soup that I am showing you today really help to get in at least some of those 5 a day!

They are very simple ingredients . . .  onions, swede (rutabaga), turnips, carrots, parsnips, leeks . .  a few herbs and some good stock and that is pretty much it. My stock was well flavoured and I didn't need to add any additional seasoning at all.

 

Sweating the vegetables in a bit of olive oil first helps to bring out their natural sweetness and flavours . . .  all together they make for a brilliant combination both taste wise and for the eyes.

Yes, it can be a bit fiddly cutting up all that veg, but really . . .  it's only time and the end result is so worth it.  Todd has a severe throat infection and so I just blitzed his smooth with my stick blender.   He really enjoyed it as well.

 

*Autumn Vegetable Broth*

Serves 6

Printable Recipe 

Don't let the simplicity of this fool you into thinking it isn't special.  The flavour is spectacular.  The fiddly part is all the dicing, but once you have that all done, it goes together very quickly, and is delicious. 

3 TBS olive oil

1 1/2 large onions, peeled and diced

1 small swede (rutabaga) peeled and diced (1/2 inch cubes)

2 large carrots, peeled and diced (1/2 inch cubes)

1 to 2 white turnips, peeled and diced (1/2 inch cubes)

2 parsnips, peeled and diced (1/2 inch cubes)

2 leeks, washed, trimmed and sliced (the white and light green parts only)

2 bay leaves, broken

1/2 tsp summer savory (or marjoram)

1 tsp parsley flakes

1800ml of chicken or vegetable stock (8 cups)

salt and pepper to taste

2 spring onions, trimmed and sliced for a garnish

crusty bread to serve

 

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat.  Add the vegetables.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.  Don't let them colour or catch.  Add half of the stock, the herbs and bay leaves.   Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer.   Cook until the vegetables are cooked through and tender, about 25 minutes.  

 

Add any remaining stock as needed and heat through.  Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.  Ladle into hot soup bowls and top each serving with some of the chopped spring onions.  Serve immediately.  Crusty bread goes well.

I haven't got a calorie count for this today, but it is high in fibre, low in fat and salt and includes more than two or three  of your five a day. I would say it is very diabetic friendly.

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