An unexpected lockdown is no one’s favourite, but it can be a great time to pop on your apron and try some new and exciting dishes! One of my absolute favourites to make is my hearty Minestrone!

Perfect for a mid-winter lunch, it’s our favourite when hunkering down on those cold

lockdown days. This hearty soup has a tangy-sweet tomato taste and is full of Mediterranean flavours. It’s painless to make and completely vegan, gluten-free, plant-based, and keto-friendly.

Pair it with our Superseed Crackers which make for a lighter bread substitute and the perfect size and shape for dipping into your own delicious recreation.

Nikki’s Minestrone

Ingredients:

• 1 diced onion
• 1 cup diced celery.
• 1 diced carrot
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes.
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup dried red lentils.
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp sugar

1. Sauté onion, celery, and carrot in olive oil for 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic, stock, tined tomatoes and lentils and stir.
3. Add herbs and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes until lentils are cooked. Stir regularly, adding more water if needed. (This is a vegan, gluten-free, plant-based, keto recipe, but you could add meatballs or squeeze filling from good quality sausages as blobs into soup, then simmer gently till cooked through for a more substantial meal and a higher protein boost.)
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Serve with Superseed Crackers or top with salad toppers.