Getting married was life-changing in many ways, but principal among them was that we bought a blender. I didn’t realise quite how amazing having a blender is until autumn came and we started getting a fruit and veg box delivered each week (because the local greengrocer, good though it is, gets a bit spare and bare from October to April, and I need my beauty greens). The combination of a veg box and a blender means we will never have to order a pizza again* because now, there is soup. It turns out that soup is as good as quiche for getting rid of whatever’s in the fridge that you haven’t got around to eating, AND it’s better for you, and less effort to make. Here is my foolproof veg box and blender soup recipe:

• Melt some butter in a pan
• Add crunchy veg (onions, peppers, leeks, celery, whatever you have) and cook gently for a few minutes
• Add soft veg (potatoes, parsnips, ditto) and half a litre of stock
• Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until all the veg is soft
• Whizz it in the blender until it’s smooth
• Return to the pan, add pepper and salt if you need it and heat up again
• When it’s hot, turn the heat off and add a splosh of cream (any kind – again, whatever is in the fridge) and stir
• Serve with whatever bread is left in the house

Perfect.

*Obviously, we still order pizza. But not as often, and rarely because there is nothing else to eat.