Easy Peasy Soup For 1 With A Parmesan Crisp: The Bariatric Cookery Solo Dining Club Recipe 2

This amazingly simple soup has a taste that belies its very basic and limited number of ingredients. I sometimes add a a bit of fresh mint to give it a summery flavour and occasionally swirl with a little pesto for an Italian touch, but to be honest it stands alone as a great soup without additions.

It’s very tempting to serve with a chunk of bread if you can tolerate it but a Parmesan crisp does give a certain sophistication if you want something savoury on the side, plus it adds protein.

Don’t worry too much about having the exact weight of ingredients – thin the soup according to how thick you want it to be – this will vary anyway depending upon your stage post-surgery. Those wishing to boost their protein further can stir in a little protein powder at the end of cooking if liked.

I think this is a great soup to serve piping hot in the colder months but it can also be served chilled when the mercury climbs and it’s hot outdoors.

EASY PEASY SINGLE PORTION PEA SOUP WITH A PARMESAN CRISP

Ingredients

METRIC/US

a large handful of frozen peas or petits pois (about 75 g/3 oz or ¼ cup)

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

½ vegetable stock/bouillon cube

1 tbsp low-fat crème fraîche, Quark or thick Greek yogurt (I used Quark)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 190 C/375 F, gas 5.
Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the peas, return to the boil then simmer for 3-4 minutes until cooked.
While the peas are cooking, pile the Parmesan cheese onto a non-stick baking tray so that, when it melts together, it will form a crisp (that looks a little like coral). Cook in the oven for about 5 minutes until melted and just turning golden but not brown. Remove from the oven, peel the ‘crisp’ off the baking tray and leave to cool and harden.
Meanwhile, drain the peas but reserve a cupful of the cooking water. Place the peas in a blender or food processor with the stock/bouillon cube and half of the reserved water and blitz until smooth. Add the crème fraîche, Quark or Greek yogurt and seasoning to taste and blitz to blend again briefly. Add a little more of the water to thin the soup if required to your desired consistency.
Pour into a bowl to serve sprinkled with a little more black pepper and with the prepared Parmesan crisp on the side.

SERVES 1

WLS PORTION: ½-1

V suitable for Vegetarians

CALORIES PER PORTION: 160

PROTEIN: 14.7 g

CARBOHYDRATE: 8.7 g

FAT: 7.1 g

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