This week we are making a really hearty and warming soup which when accompanied by your freshly baked bread is a quick inexpensive evening meal and a terrific way to get your family to eat cabbage.

Cabbage is a great value for money vegetable which will keep for a long time in the fridge making it a super fresh vegetable choice.

As always I shall give you the ingredients and it is up to yourselves to purchase the items best suited to your purse.

This recipe usually uses olive oil and I do understand that this can seem like an expensive choice so sunflower/vegetable oil is an able substitute, however do remember if you can stretch to olive oil it does last for a very long time and there are always offers available.

If you have trouble sourcing some ingredients at a price you can afford feel free to message me and I shall direct you where I can.

Cabbage Bacon & Pasta Soup

Serves 4

• 2 cloves of garlic or 2tsps of garlic granules
• 300 gms white cabbage cut into thin strips
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 8 rashers smoked streaky bacon diced or pkt smoked Lardons
• 150 gms small pasta shells, macaroni or a pasta of yourchoice
• Black pepper
• 1 1/2 litres boiling water
• 2 chicken/vegetable stock cubes, crumbled.

1. Heat the oil and fry the bacon for a few minutes, add the cabbage and garlic and further fry until you feel the cabbage is well coated.
2. Add the boiling water and crushed stock cubes, stirring until the stock has               dissolved. Add pepper to taste.
3. Simmer on a low heat for 15 mins
4. Add the pasta, bring back to the boil and simmer for a further 15 mins until both the cabbage and the pasta are soft
5. If the soup looks colourless to the eye, sprinkle  a little grated coloured Chedder  cheese over the top and allow to melt. Serve with buttered bread.
   

   If you have some soup left but not enough to go round add a tin of tomatoes some oregano and re-heat for lunch. Use gluten free pasta for a gluten free option. Enjoy

   Next Week, Spicy Pasta.

   

   For this you will need 100gms mince, Pasta, shells, Penne, Macaroni or whatever your pasta preference is, 1 tin of Tomatoes, Tomato pureé, 1 onion, 1 red pepper, garlic, chilli powder,  chicken/veg stock cube, Worcester sauce and lemon juice, 100gms strong chedder cheese (approx).

   I shall list all ingredients you need as I appreciated not everyone has a stock cupboard, but remember as with everything, once bought these non perishable items last for a very long time.

Most of the recipes I  supply will centre around pasta and rice as these are extremely good value for money ingredients and a great once/twice a week option.

If you need any advice or help with these recipes please feel free to comment and I shall get back to you as quickly as possible.

Helen