Ingredients:
5 spray low-fat cooking spray
1 medium onion(s), peeled and chopped
2 stick celery, finely chopped
2 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon chilli powder
50 g dried split red lentils
1 portion stock cube, vegetable, make up to 850ml with hot water
2 tablespoon tomato puree
400 g canned tomatoes
2 sprig fresh rosemary, plus 2 sprigs, chopped to garnish

Instructions:
Heat a large saucepan, spray with low fat cooking spray and add the onion and celery. Cook stirring for 5 mins, add the garlic and chilli and cook for another 5 mins until tender and beginning to brown.

Add the lentils, stock, rosemary, tomatoes and tomato puree. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 mins until the lentils are soft. Remove the rosemary.

Blend the soup using a hand blender or liquidiser until smooth and season with salt and pepper.

Serve hot garnished with a sprinkling of chopped rosemary.

Notes
Make double quantity, cool and freeze in portions for up to 3 months.

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Ingredients:
5 spray low-fat cooking spray
1 portion leek(s), sliced
2 medium carrot(s), peeled and sliced
1 stick celery, sliced
1 portion stock cube, chicken or vegetable, make up to 1 litre with hot water
435 g chestnut purée, unsweetened
2 medium slice bread, brown, with crusts removed
2 teaspoon dried sage, or 16 sage leaves
1/2 tablespoon caraway seeds
4 portion chestnuts, fresh, peeled and roughly chopped
Instructions:
Add the stock to a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the vegetables, cover and simmer for 20 mins until all the vegetables are tender.

Add the chestnut purée and then use a hand blender or transfer to a liquidiser to blend until smooth. Return to the pan, bring back to the boil and keep simmering over a low heat until ready to serve.

Cut each slice of bread into 16 squares. Spray a small frying pan with low fat cooking spray and heat until sizzling. Add the bread and cook over a medium heat for 2 mins. Turn the squares over and cook for another minute until golden. Add the sage, caraway seeds and chopped chestnuts and cook, stirring for 1-2 mins until the sage leaves begin to toast and the nuts turn golden.

Serve the soup in warm bowls topped with the croutons, sage, seeds and nuts.

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Cold weather can certainly challenge our commitment to healthy eating. For many people, fresh salads may not be as enticing during the colder winter months. But you can enjoy heartwarming winter meals that are friendly to both your heart and tastebuds. Soup is an excellent convienience food for the winter. Simple and easy to make, and you can even freeze individual tubs.  (more…)