Brussels Sprout & Chestnut Soup

Chestnuts again?! YES!! 

It's nearly Christmas, and there are lots of them around at very reasonable prices-I stocked up on some from Tesco on sale for £1 yes, £1. 

This soup makes a great starter with smaller portions or a hearty main meal because it is so thick and filling. I remember making this last year, but I wanted it to be a little different. 

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This time round I used thyme instead of nutmeg and omitted some of the liquid.  And served it up with some home made pesto bread. It was earthy, thick and oh so delicious! It keeps well in the freezer so can be prepared in advance. 

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This soup is not only filling, it really takes no time at all to make, 20 minutes cooking and 10 minutes tops preparation. The health benefits and simplicity makes it a winner every time. You never know, you might even be able to get those averted to the humble sprout to relish it with new fondness.

The Low Down:

Chestnuts are great, because they offer so much versatility to the kitchen. you can roast them, fry them, bake them, blitz them, use them in soups, pastry, stuffing, or as an alternative to wheat! so my gluten free foodies - embrace the chestnut. For the rest of us watching our waist lines, they are low in fat, high in fibre, have a chuck load of beta-carotene, folate and vitamin C. But wait! there's more - they are also great for boosting heart health, due to the high levels of oleic and palmitic acids. Brussels Sprouts are similar to broccoli in their health boosting properties (see here), not surprising seeing as they are from the same cruciferous family of vegetables. Rich in antioxidants with a high concentration of anti-cancer agents called glucosinolates.

Vitamin K,  vitamin C, B6, Manganese

B3, Potassium,  Folate, Copper, Sodium, Magnesium, B1

Vitamin A, B2, Iron, CAlcium, Selenium, B5, 





Brussels Sprouts & Chestnut Soup

Ingredients
(serves 4 as main meal)

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• 1 tablespoon walnut oil (or other heart friendly oils)
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 200 g potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
• 500 g Brussels sprouts, washed and cut in quarter
• 150 g chestnuts, pre-cooked vacuum packed
• 1 litre vegetable stock (watch out for the salt content in your stock)
• 240 ml soya cream
• 5 sprig thymes
• 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

#As with all recipes on this blog unless otherwise stated they are my own; be kind enough to, link back to original, make, share and highlight - happy sharing #

Preparation

Heat oil in heavy saucepan, add the onion, then cover and sweat down gently, without browning too much.

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Add the potatoes, brussels sprouts, chestnuts and stock. Cover and bring to the boil then simmer gently for 15 minutes till tender. 

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Blend until smooth (I used a hand blender).

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Stir in the soy cream and sprigs of thyme, gently simmer for another 5 minutes, season with coarse black pepper and serve.

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Done!



                  Bon Appétit!!

All rights to images reserved  copyrights Alicia Lewis @ KitchenTakeovers

***Disclaimer: Any of the information within this blog post and others on this site is for information and educational purposes only and is NOT intended to be taken as diagnosis, treatment, cure or  to prevent any disease. Any reader concerned about his or her health is advised to seek medical advice from their GP or relevant medical professional***