Bacon, Root Vegetable & Lentil Soup

This vibrant soup is healthy, flavour-packed and low cost. You can easily make it vegan by replacing the bacon with a bit more olive oil instead, and substitute the chicken stock with vegetable stock. Wrap yourself and your family in a bear-hug with this creamy heavenly soup.

Serves: 4

Prepare: 15 minutes

Cook: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 150g smoked back bacon, finely diced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 200g carrots, peeled and diced
• ½ celeriac, peeled and diced
• ½ swede, peeled and diced
• 250g Jerusalem artichokes or new potatoes, peeled and diced
• 150g red split lentils (or soup mix) , thoroughly rinsed
• 2-3 sprigs of thyme
• 2 x 500ml fresh/packed chicken stock

1. Heat the oil in a large casserole or saucepan. Add the bacon and onion, and sauté over a high heat for 3-4 minutes until the bacon is crisp and brown and the onion has softened and started to caramelise.

2. Add the carrots, celeriac, swede and artichokes/potatoes and sauté for another couple of minutes. Add the lentils/soup mix, thyme and stock. Season.

3. Bring to the boil and bubble briskly, partially covered, for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the lentils have broken down and the vegetables are tender. Remove the thyme stalk (most of the leaves will have fallen off). Serve it as it is, or purée all or half of it for a smooth texture.

Tip: If you have any leftover artichokes they can be used raw in salads. Peel, thinly slice and drop them into a bowl of cold water and lemon juice to stop them going brown. Drain, then add to a salad or simply dress with olive oil and lemon juice.