Spring green soup

This was meant to be just a standard pea and mint soup, but I kept on finding other green things to stick into it. I wanted to up the protein to make it a meal so I threw in some edamame beans, and some mung beans I had started sprouting a couple of days before. All in all a satisfactory healthy green soup. Really quick to make and full of nutrients.

Spring green soup

 Serves 2

1 garlic clove

1 veg stock cube

100g frozen petit pois (or garden peas)

Handful spinach

50g frozen podded edamame beans

30g sprouted mung beans*

3 tbsp creme fraiche (or can use soya/greek yogurt)

Handful fresh chopped chives

Handful fresh chopped mint

Salt and pepper

Chive flowers and mint leaves to garnish

1. Place a saucepan on a medium heat. Finely chop the garlic and add to the saucepan along with the stock cube and about 300ml water
2. Add the edamame and mung beans to the stock and cook for 3-4 minutes
3. Turn down the heat so the water is at a simmer. Add the petit pois, mint and spinach and cook for a further 4-5 minutes
4. Add the chives and creme fraiche (or alternative)
5. Heat gently for 1-2 minutes
6. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed
7. Whizz up using a hand blender or food processor
8. Garnish with chive flowers, mint leaves, chives or more creme fraiche

*To sprout mung beans, soak however many you want in a bowl of cold water overnight. In the morning, drain the water off, rinse the mung beans in the bowl and cover with a plate. Each morning, rinse the mung beans so they are damp but not sitting in water. Within 2 days you should see the beans bursting out of their casing. They should keep on growing into beansprouts in about a week. Great in salads, soups, stir frys, curries, anything. AND they are AMAZING for you.