I didn’t request a review copy of Soupologie and it was sent to me on spec but I’m so glad it landed on my desk.
Packed with tempting, easy to follow recipes, it’s been my lunchtime go-to book for the past couple of weeks.
I was sent a copy of the book in return for a fair review.
Homemade soup has long been a family staple and I have several soup recipe books. So, I wondered, was this really going to offer anything different? I was delighted to find that it did.
The book came about after Anastasia’s family decided they were not hitting their recommended five a day targets.
“What could be better than eating a pot of soup and knowing that, with almost no effort, you’ve hit your 5 a day goal?” she says.
They launched their soups back in 2012 – they are now sold online and at some supermarkets. This book details some of their recipes.
It’s the ease of preparation that I’ve found one of the key elements. So far, we’ve tried out three of the soups in Soupologie and all have been really straightforward.
To date, the favourite is a variation on my usual lentil soup (which generally uses up anything lurking in the fridge). Lentil, Lemon and Spinach Soup was as simple as the name suggests but far from being boring. An added bonus is that it is made from what are often store cupboard ingredients.
Lentil Dhal Soup gave yet another take on the humble lentil. Here combined with curry spices and broccoli.
Turmeric Broth was equally easy to prepare and the large amount of fresh ginger made it especially welcome on a cold October day. We used greens from the garden in this.
That’s the beauty of homemade soup – it’s the ideal way to use homegrown veg in interesting ways.
To help with eating seasonally – and cutting down on food miles if you don’t grow your own – the book includes a list of which vegetables are in season in spring, summer, autumn and winter.
There’s an explanation of what constitutes a portion in the five a day and advice on avoiding food waste by storing fruit and vegetables properly. Recipes also extend to other meals, such as bowl food, and ‘extras’, including Brussel Sprouts Crisps, making Soupologie so much more than just another soup book. It’s rapidly replacing my other recipe books.
Soupologie, 5 a Day Soups by Anastasia Argent is published by Kyle Books with an RRP of £16.99. (You can buy it for £11.36 here. (If you buy through this link, I get a small commission. The price you pay is not affected.)
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