No matter what I do to stop it, I do occasionally wake up in a morning and harbour a strange thought: today I will not crave meat as a true carnivore should, today I shall crave something healthy, today I shall change my spots and become a herbivore! Gimme vegetables!

Once this feeling has a hold of me it is unshakable and nagging constantly so to the kitchen I wander and root around in the pantry instead of the freezer. Green things pass through my fingers instead of wings or ribs… I am on a mission.

Oh, some broccoli, and a carrot, I am off to a good start. Discovered some celery that didn’t feel too soft and then my nose reminded me of the wondrous mint plant growing on my kitchen window sill.

The answer was thus obvious to me and my nagging craving relaxed, I was now firmly set on the path towards broccoli soup heaven…

Ingredients:

• 500g broccoli
• 250g fresh green celery
• 250g potatoes
• 1 carrot
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1tsp dry mint
• 1.2 litre of chicken stock
• Splash of olive oil
• Handful of fresh mint
• Handful of pumpkin seeds
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Wash, (peel) and roughly chop broccoli, celery, potatoes and carrots.

Peel and slice garlic.

Prepare 1.2l of stock. I used a chicken one from Knorr but a vegetable one will also suit this soup well.

In your cooking pot heat up a splash of olive oil; once hot add the garlic and dry mint and fry for about 1 minute. You just want to release the garlic aroma. Do not let the garlic brown.

Add celery and fry for a further 2 to 3 minutes.

Now add the broccoli, carrots and potatoes as well as your earlier prepared stock. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring all to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes.

Remove from the heat, add a handful of fresh mint and puree it using a blender.

Serve with chopped fresh mint and pumpkin seeds.

Delicious!