Carrot and almond soup

Ingredients
Serves 4

2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
6 carrots, trimmed, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
1 tbsp wheat-free vegetable bouillon powder
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, stalks reserved
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, stalks reserved
100g ground almonds

Method

Place the onions, garlic, carrot and celery in a large saucepan. Add 1.25 litres of boiling water and the bouillon powder. Bring to the boil and add the herb stalks. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Strain, reserving the stock. Remove the herb stalks, then blend the vegetables in a food processor or with a hand-held blender until smooth.

Return the mixture to the pan and add the ground almonds and enough of the reserved stock to make a soup-like consistency.

Reheat, then divide between warmed soup bowls and serve garnished with chopped fresh coriander and parsley.

This soup is also very good made with sweet potatoes. Just add one sweet potato, peeled and diced, in place of two of the carrots and cook as above.