Another Lazy Use-up Veg Soup

I was almost out of vegetables until tomorrow’s delivery. So out came the soupmaker to make a quick lunch with just a few ingredients. #WastenotWantnot

It had turned very cold and I fancied a warming, plant-based soup using leftover produce. We’re very keen on garlic but others might like to reduce its quantity. #WastenotWantnot

How good it is to have a keen gardener friend! Each year I benefit from his tomato glut so decided to make some mildly spiced soup, using up other ingredients in the fridge and larder. #mycookbook#WastenotWantnot

Rather than heat up yesterday’s uneaten vegetables or (shock, horror!) throw them away, I’ve made a light lunch to fit in between our good breakfast and forthcoming substantial dinner. Using the soupmaker meant only 5 minutes prep, then I pushed the start button and went for a nice hot bath!I’ve listed the ingredients I had to hand but if you fancy having a go, just put in what you’ve got. Add a chopped parsley garnish if you wish: otherwise the only extras were an onion, the garlic clove, the stock cube and cold water.#WastenotWantnot

Yesterday I made about 2 litres of turkey stock, ensuring that a little leftover meat was included as well as the vegetables I’d used to make it. Today’s soup used this plus our remaining uncooked Christmas vegetables. “Multi-Modal” simply coz I combined old-fashioned soup-making with using the soupmaker machine!#WastenotWantnot

Yesterday’s meal was my Turkey Pilaf and tomorrow’s will be my Turkey Curry. Today’s is lighter altogether and aimed at using stuff up #wastenotwantnot

Yesterday my husband made a smoked bbq pork belly - he slow cooked it for 6 hours on open coals and it was delicious but far too much for One meal so tonight we made a very non authentic version of Ramen. Honestly, I just love the creative licence that leftovers provide. The idea for this recipe came from Genevieve Taylor who runs the Bristol Fire School (she’s incredible) but we made a few tweaks based on what we had available. Also, if pork isn’t your thing, you could add some crispy tofu. #leftovers

Yesterday’s fresh greengroceries delivery meant that I had some French beans plus a few other bits and pieces slightly past their best. This soup can be whizzed smooth but we prefer with this type to leave the vegetables in bite-sized chunks. So, another almost-free meal for the colder weather. #WastenotWantnot #lunch

Another soup based on what’s left over from last week’s vegetable delivery. Something nice and warming was definitely required for lunch on this bright but very cold day. #WastenotWantnot #SeasonalCooking

I’ve put the soup-maker back in action with leftover vegetables to produce a nutritious lunch during a very busy morning. Note that of the total time, for all of but a very few minutes the machine is doing the work.#WastenotWantnot

I’m happy to pay for good ingredients but hate wasting food, so I make a lot of soups from leftovers. This soup uses “uncooked leftovers”, i.e. veg that weren’t needed for Christmas dinner. It’s a creamy, smooth soup, the consistency of which can be adjusted to personal preference by varying the amount of stock used or, indeed, the quantity of veg. The veg could, of course, be specially bought in - or for that matter home-grown.#WastenotWantnot

Busy day so used a soup-maker. Child’s play - 5 or so minutes’ prep, then push the button and retire! You have less control to make adjustments than if you’re making it in a stock pot/saucepan and it only really works for smallish quantities but the resultant soup is good and it’s a real time saver.

‘Twas a cold, wet day with only a few spare vegetables in larder so this was made in the soupmaker in minutes, a drastically cutdown version of one of my regular soups. Adjust curry powder to suit your palate. #WasteNotWantNot

Another swift soupmaker recipe, using leftover cooked cabbage and old vegetables before today’s fresh delivery so it’s virtually nil cost. #WastenotWantnot

Another soup (vaguely inspired by the Italian staple) using up vegetables before they “go off” and other ingredients from the larder. If I had any celery, that’d be in too. Basically, just use up any vegetables to hand. I only used the cherry tomatoes as well as the tinned coz they needed using up.I’ve used dried herbs coz this recipe is particularly intended for those of us confined to the house and who can’t go shopping, so it’s “jump at the cupboard door” time! But of course use fresh herbs if you’ve got them. #WastenotWantnot

Another quick and simple soup using up ingredients left over from earlier meals.#WastenotWantnot

We had my chicken paprika dish last night. As I had a little leftover, I’ve made this simple but smooth and slightly creamy soup for 4 from 1 leftover portion.#WastenotWantnot.

Having been given another 3kg of tomatoes by a friend “with a glut”, a simple tomato soup seemed a good idea. As the photo shows, the produce isn’t exactly wonky but it is mixed - and free!#wonkyautumn#WastenotWantnot

Not exactly a summer soup but tasty nonetheless. I had some cheese near “Use by” date and some leftover veggies, so I experimented using the soup-maker for speed and ease. It comes out very silky-creamy. Please note that the types and quantities of cheese simply reflected what needed using up. For those who’re counting, it worked out at 344 calories per portion. #WastenotWantnot

The weather having turned cool and damp and with a fresh greengrocer’s delivery tomorrow, a Waste Not, Want Not broth appealed. Very similar to my soups but leaving the vegetables in chunks gives a different dimension. It looks like, well like all such broths, but it’s both tasty and very nourishing.#WastenotWantnot

Another damp day, so a light soup was requested for lunch. Most of my soups are “substantial” but this is deliberately not so. The herbs can be varied to suit personal preference.

Another soupmaker quickie. However, I find that lightly frying the onions, garlic and chilli first adds to the “punch”. I do not add seasoning but do so if you wish, naturally after tasting #WastenotWantnot #lunch

Pretty close to my Ratatouille Soup but this was just a clear-out of stuff in the fridge on our return from a short break. Please note that the oregano and sugar are there to help balance the acidity inherent in the significant proportion of tomatoes. We quite like soup with bits but whizz it if you prefer. #WastenotWantnot #FridgeForager #CookEveryPart

I had leftover sauce (I usually make some “spare”) from yesterday’s Pork Chops, etc. recipe and this morning have roasted a chicken and taken off the meat for meals later today and tomorrow.This soup is made from yesterday’s spare sauce and today’s leftover chicken carcass plus one carrot, as that was my only vegetable pending tomorrow’s fresh delivery. Were I to have had them, I’d have added a chopped celery stick and small potato but no onion nor garlic coz there’s plenty in the sauce already.#WastenotWantnot

Yet another easy and tasty way of clearing out the vegetable rack as we approach Christmas. This is a rather peppy brew so adjust the ingredients to suit your taste and, of course, to what you have available. #WastenotWantnot

Albeit much developed, this was inspired by an old (meatless) family favourite red lentil soup recipe in “The Shirley Goode Kitchen” (1986). Reduce the cumin and omit the cayenne pepper if that’s more to your liking. A tasty, filling and warming lunch on a winter’s day. #WastenotWantnot

Another speedy soupmaker recipe. This produces quite a thick soup (which suits us) but will happily stand a little watering down if that suits your preference. Please note that the photograph shows today’s undiluted soup in a saucepan awaiting re-heating and hence prior to the addition of crème fraîche. #WastenotWantnot

A cheap, easy and tasty autumn soup lunch. I pressure-cooked a gammon joint after breakfast and used the cooking water plus some leftover vegetables to make soup. The chilli adds “pep”! #WastenotWantnot

I used some leftover chicken, a bit of homemade stock and a few vegetables needing to be used up plus a little pasta to make a tasty and healthy soup.Being confined to the house during the current unpleasantness means that I’m wasting nowt if I can help it as home deliveries are a tad erratic and aren’t always delivered in full but ensuring a good supply of fresh ingredients does need a little organising. This and similar soups help with stock management!#WastenotWantnot

Another tasty and nourishing winter’s soup from Sunday’s leftovers. #WastenotWantnot