Over the holidays Jamie and I were with his family in Alva. On Christmas day Kathryn, his sister, made soup for a light lunch before we gorged ourselves on the huge Christmas dinner. Jamie and I had made two different kinds of bread to bring along, coupled together with the soup this was the perfect lunch. The soup was so good that I asked Kathryn what was in it. I have made it four times since Christmas and it never fails to please my palate. Are you ready for another extremely simple yet amazingly good soup? This one is such a winner and virtually fat free depending on the stock you use.

What you will need:

• 1 leek
• 2 medium white potatoes
• 2 carrots
• 1/4 cup (or there abouts) red split lentils
• 1 stock cube of your choice (Kathryn used ham stock and I use vegetable stock)
• 2 pints of water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Note: This recipe makes approximately 3 to 4 servings. Jamie and I usually have a good sized bowl each at dinner and he has enough to take to work the next day for lunch.

What you need to do:

• First peel the carrots and potatoes.
• Next chop the carrots and leeks in half length wise and then slice. Check if the leek is dirty after you half it, if yes give it a rinse before chopping.
• Then cube the potatoes.
• Add a tbsp of olive oil to a pot and heat it, then add the veggies and briefly sauté to soften them. Usually I do this until the kettle is boiled and the stock cube is disolved in the 2 pints of water.

•  Once the veggies have sautéed add your stock and stir it all up.
•  Once the stock is added and has been brought to a boil add in the lentils.
• Allow this to simmer covered on low for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. If you do this for longer it doesn’t hurt a thing.

Once the soup has simmered for a little while it is ready. You can eat this one right away. No blending required. I have actually gotten this soup going, taken my post gym shower and it was ready to eat by the time my hair was dry. Excellent! It can also be left on the stove for a few hours covered and then simply reheated when you are ready  to eat it.

I do not add any salt or pepper while I am cooking this soup. It never needs salt ever but Jamie does like to add a pinch of black pepper to his bowl. I recommend tasting it first before you add anything. Keep it healthy!

Once again I made Soda bread to go along with the soup and served it with a selection of cheeses. This soup really hits the spot. It is so quick and nutritious I dare you not to like it. This soup actually made me wonder how I ever lived without leeks. This winter has brought the versatile leek to the forefront of my soup explorations. If you have anymore leek recipes that are winners… pass them on. I would love to give them a try. Now go on, make some soup. x heather