The simplest one I know is just veg soup - chop up loads of any sort of veg you fancy, stick it in the saucepan with some vegetable stock and some herbs, boil it up until the veg is soft, add a tin of baked beans and then blend it until smooth.
Or "cheat's succotach" is nice - can of sweetcorn, large can of butterbeans, stick them in a saucepan with some milk and some chives and heat them up.
Lentil and Bacon Soup
Put 8 oz brown lentils into a saucepan, cover with water, bring to the boil. Boil for three minutes then drain.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil and fry up one chopped onion and 4oz thick bacon, chopped into pieces, and a clove of garlic, crushed. Fry for 5 minutes then add 2 chopped sticks celery, 2 peeled chopped carrots, large tin of chopped tomatoes, some oregano and the rinsed lentils. Add 1.5 pints of stock or water, cover and simmer for 40 minutes (adding more water if necessary).
Tomato and Rice Soup
Serves 4
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon basil
1 bayleaf
1 tablespoon flour
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stick, chopped
1 teaspoon browm sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Large can chopped tomatoes
1 pint water or vegetable stock
1 clove garlic, crushed
Soy sauce, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 fluid ounces milk
3 tablespoons cooked rice
2 tablespoons roasted sunflower seeds, optional
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, saute the onion, garlic and basil for 5 minutes
Stir in the flour, add the carrot, bayleaf, celery, sugar, vinegar, tomatoes and water (or stock). Bring to the boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool slightly then blend with the soy sauce and salt and pepper. Add the milk and rice, return to the pan and heat through.
Serve sprinkled with sunflower seeds, if liked.
Ginger Carrot Soup
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
6 carrots, choppped
1/4oz fresh root ginger
1.5 pints Vegetable Stock
1 tablespoon basil leaves, torn
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large pan. Add in onion, carrot & ginger. Cook for 5 minutes until the onion is softened. Add the stock, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly then blend, with salt and pepper to taste. Reheat, and serve with basil leaves.