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HI

Just to economise I've been making soups with beans or lentils or peas, Does anyone have any good ones they can offer?

Kidney Bean & Spinach Soup

2 cups of kidney beans soaked overnight
1 T olive oil
1 Onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 carrot peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk celery finely chopped
Corn Kenels - 1 cob stripped
4 cups ( 1 pint ) Beef stock
1 bunch spinach , washed, stems removed and leaves shredded.
200 gr. sliced pancetta ( optional)

Heat oil in large saucepan and gently cook onion, garlic, carrot and celery for 5 mins. Add corn kernels, drained kidney beans and the stock .
Bring to the boil and then gently simmer for 30 minutes or until beans are tender.
Meanwhile grill or dry fry pancetta until crisp.
When beans are cooked stir in the spinach.
Serve soup in 4 x deep bowls with crisped pancetta sprinkled over the top to garnish.

To be honest LJ. It was a glut of silverbeet in the garden that first prompted me to make this, and I have never made it with spinach because I don't usually grow spinach
I usually take out the thick centre stem from the silverbeet leaf, and I cut it small and put it with the carrot and celery, adding the shredded leaves at the end . Apart from remembering to soak the beans over night, it is a quick easy soup to make, so saves on electricity too.

thanks for this - I'm going to try this one at the weekend. The weather has really turned down here so I'm looking forward to making some soups etcs.

LJ I make a lentil soup with spinach or silverbeet and canned tomatoes. Using any kind of stock base. It is that simple, and very yummy!

Am loving my winter cuisine of mainly soups again, since returning home. Have had a really hard job keeping myself warm this winter so far, and yet, I don't know that it is any worse than last year really. I find soup of any sort to be real comfort food, and so easy to eat in front of the fire in the lounge. I can't get outa the kitchen fast enough to slurp and sup with pleasure from my soup bowl.
As Maryanne said above, spinach and lentil Soup is go-od , and here is the version I made the other day, and just polished the last of it off for my lunch a few minutes ago.

Spinach & Lentil Soup with Sesame Seeds

1 cup brown lentils
4 cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock for vegetarians
1 Tablesoon sesame oil
1 large red onion finely chopped
1 good stalk celery, finely sliced
1 small carrot thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic , crushed
1 teaspoon fresh ginger , grated
1 bunch spinach, stalks removed, washed and chopped roughly
2 Tablespoons Soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, lightly toasted,
Salt & freshly ground black Pepper .

Place lentils and stock in saucepan , cover and bring to the boil . Turn down and leave to simmer gently for 30 -40 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile heat oil in another saucepan and cook onion, celery , carrot , garlic and ginger over a high heat until lightly browned. Pour in lentils and stock and and stir for 2-3 minutes. Lower heat and then add spinach, soy sauce and season to taste. stir over a medium until spinach is wilted- about 1 - 2 minutes. Ladle into 4 large soup bowls and then garnish with sesame seeds. ( I keep these seeds , pre toasted in pantry, to add to all sorts of things)