Recipes: Autumn vegetable soup with cheesy toasts

A satisfying low-fat soup that won't induce guilt, served with toasts for a taste of luxury

Ingredients

• 1 leek , chopped quite small
• 2 carrots , chopped quite small
• 1 potato , chopped quite small
• 1 garlic clove , finely chopped
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 425ml/¾ pint vegetable stock
• ½ tsp sugar
• 2 x 400g cans chopped Italian tomatoes
• 410g can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

FOR THE TOASTS

• 8 slices of baguette , cut on the diagonal
• 1 garlic clove , cut in half
• 50g edam , finely grated

  

  1. Put the vegetables into a large saucepan with the garlic, rosemary, stock and sugar. Season well, stir, bring to a simmer and cover. Cook gently for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender.
  2. Preheat the grill to high. Whizz the tomatoes in a food processor or blender until smooth, then tip into the vegetables with the chickpeas and parsley. Gently heat through, stirring now and then.
  3. For the toasts: rub both sides of the bread with the garlic. Grill on one side until golden, turn the bread over, cover with edam and grill until it's bubbling. Serve at once with the piping hot soup.

  NUTRITION PER SERVING:

  343 kcalories, protein 17g, carbohydrate 56g, fat 7 g, saturated fat 2g, fibre 8g, sugar 1g, salt 2.2 g