Serves 6

You’ll need: 10ml sunflower or canola oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 carrots, cubed; 10ml finely grated fresh ginger; 4 tsp celery stalks with the leaves, sliced; 30ml dried mixed herbs or origanum; 2 bay leaves; 820g tinned chopped tomatoes; 1 litre water; 5ml sugar; ½ tsp salt; lemon juice and black pepper to taste.

How to:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Fry onion, carrots, ginger and celery until soft.

Add herbs and fry for a few more minutes. Add bay leaves, tomatoes, water and sugar and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until the veggies are cooked to your preference.

Add the salt and season with lemon juice and pepper and serve hot.

Tips:

1. Serve the soup with a dollop of plain low-fat yoghurt, fresh herbs like basil or origanum or slices of avocado.
2. Left-over meat like chicken strips or flaked fish can be added to the soup. For a vegetarian soup add a tin of baked beans and blend for a creamier texture.

* Recipe and image from Cooking from the Heart.