A FABULOUS FAT BUSTING SOUP

FISH AND HARICOT BEAN SOUP WITH SAFFRON

(30 mins/serves 2)

This soup is way too delicious to be labelled a ‘slimming soup’ but it is! Beans, oil, herbs and spices, fish and shellfish, parsley, onion, garlic, fresh nuts, coconut water and nori flakes all turn up the action of the fat busting genes and this soup is a meal in itself so you won’t need anything else other than perhaps a small salad on the side.

Ingredients
Half a tin of haricot beans in water
½ tbsp olive or avocado oil
1 small onion, chopped finely
½ tsp fennel seeds, crushed
¼ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground paprika
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 sprig fresh thyme
¼ tsp saffron threads
¾ pint water
8 oz bottle Clamato juice
½ tin diced tomatoes, drained
½ – ¾ lb of firm white fish (cod, halibut, monkfish, haddock, coley, pollack) cut into 2” chunks
6 fresh or frozen raw prawns
Large handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Coconut water, nori flakes and freshly ground black pepper
A good handful of toasted, sliced almonds

If using frozen prawns, put them on a plate to defrost while you get on with the rest then drain and rinse the beans. Warm the olive/avocado oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat but don’t let it smoke then add the onion, fennel seeds, coriander, paprika, garlic and thyme and cook gently for 5 mins. Add the saffron threads, crushing them with your fingers as you add them to the pot then pour in the water, Clamato juice and chopped tomatoes. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 mins to infuse the flavours before adding the fish and beans. Continue cooking very gently for 5 more mins (the fish should be cooked through and just flaking) then add the prawns and the chopped parsley. Simmer until the prawns are bright pink and cooked through. Add a good couple of splashes of coconut water and nori flakes and ground black pepper to taste. Divide between two warmed bowls and scatter the almonds on top before serving.

BEEF BROTH WITH PEARL BARLEY

50 mins/serves 2

Warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium-sized pan and gently brown 250g of lean lean stewing steak, cut into small cubes over a medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar and 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, turn up the heat and stir vigorously until most of the liquid has gone. Add 1 small onion, finely chopped, 1 carrot, finely diced, 1 stalk of celery, finely sliced, 1 small bay leaf and 1 small sprig of fresh rosemary, put the lid on and cook over a low heat until the vegetables are tender (about 20 mins). Add stock (2 teaspoons Marigold Vegetable Bouillon powder dissolved in 500ml hot water) and bring to the boil. Add 75g of pearl barley and a handful of chopped, fresh parsley and simmer until the barley is tender (25 mins). Take the pan off the heat, remove the bay leaf and rosemary sprig and season to taste with sea salt crystals and freshly ground black pepper. Whizz with a hand blender to preferred texture and add boiling water to thin if necessary.

SPICY TURKEY SOUP

65mins/serves 4

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive/groundnut oil, 1 clove garlic crushed, 
1 onion finely sliced, 1 bunch spring onion sliced, 1 red chilli de-seeded and finely chopped, small pack of pancetta cubes or 75g lean bacon, ½ tsp dried oregano, a generous pinch of cayenne pepper, a generous pinch of ground cumin, freshly ground black pepper, 1 tin peeled chopped tomatoes , 2 pints low salt chicken/vegetable stock, 1 bay leaf, 1 small turkey drumstick skin removed (get the butcher to chop it in half to get it in the pot if need be!), 2-3 tbsp frozen peas and corn, sea salt crystals if needed, grated gruyere cheese (optional), fresh coriander or parsley chopped, fresh lime juice

Method
Warm the oil in a medium-sized pan, add the garlic, onion, spring onion and chilli and saute for 8-10 mins until onions are soft and translucent. Add the pancetta/bacon and saute until they are just browned around the edges. Add the oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin and a few grindings of black pepper and stir well into the onion/garlic/chilli/pancetta mix. Add the tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, and turkey drumstick and bring slowly to the boil then quickly reduce the heat to a gentle simmer until the turkey is cooked and falling off the bone (around 45 mins.) Add the frozen peas and corn 8-10 minutes before the end of cooking time. Remove the bay leaf, transfer the drumstick to a board, shred the cooked turkey meat* with a couple of forks and leave aside. Increase heat for a few minutes to concentrate the soup if you want it a bit thicker or add water if you like it thinner and check the seasoning before adding the turkey meat to warm through for a couple of minutes. Ladle into soup bowls and top with the grated cheese (if using) and chopped coriander/parsley. Add a splash of fresh lime juice and serve.

* If you prefer a mix of dark and light turkey meat add 2 fresh turkey breast steaks when you add the frozen peas and corn and shred them with half the brown meat from the drumstick (keep the rest for a snack later/next day).

LAMB AND BEAN SOUP

40mins/serves 2

Ingredients
100g lean lamb mince, 1/2 tbsp Worcester sauce, 1/2 tsp each of ground cumin, paprika and chilli, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 small onion, finely chopped, 1 clove garlic, finely chopped, 1 small red pepper, thinly sliced, 1 carrot, sliced into thin strips, 1/2 tin black-eyed or canellini beans, drain them but keep the liquid, 1 baby cabbage or 1 little gem lettuce, finely sliced, 2 tomatoes, skinned and chopped or 2 tinned plum tomatoes, chopped, 2 tsp Marigold Vegetable Bouillon powder dissolved in 500ml hot water, fresh parsley or coriander leaves, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Brown the meat in a non stick pan, add the Worcestershire sauce and keep stirring until the meat is browned and the liquid is absorbed. Add spices and stir well. Heat the oil in another pan, add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, add the pepper and carrot and cook for a further 5 minutes. Whizz one third of the beans in a food processor. Add the bean liquid, most of the stock, pureed beans and cabbage (if using) and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, remaining beans and lettuce (if not using cabbage) and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add more stock if the soup is too thick.  Season to taste and top with finely chopped parsley or coriander.

‘ESSENTIAL’ SMOOTHIE

Filling, fat burning and exploding with antioxidants (serves 2)

Place 2 tablespoons of mixed raw seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, flax, hemp etc.) in a food processor or coffee grinder until pulverised then transfer to your blender jug. Add crushed ice, 200g mixed red/purple berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, brambles, strawberries, stoned cherries), 100g watermelon (seeds included), 200g silken tofu, drained and sliced and 3/4 litre rice milk or skimmed milk and blend on full power until smooth and creamy. Add cold water if it is too thick. Strain into glasses and sip slowly.

‘SAVE YOUR BONES’ SMOOTHIE

Peel and chop 2 oranges and 1 lime, leaving the pith on and put them in the blender jug with 1 banana, peeled and sliced, 10 fl oz skimmed milk, 5 oz natural Greek yoghurt, 0% Fat and 2 heaped tablespoons wheat germ. Add crushed ice and blend until smooth. Strain and pour into tall glasses (serves 2-3).