Creamy courgette (zucchini), leek, lime and basil soup

If you're looking for a light summer soup, you'll love this recipe. It's sweet, creamy (though no dairy products involved), light and delicious.

Courgettes or zucchini are a type of summer squash that resemble a cucumber in size and shape. They are low in calories and provide reasonable amounts of vitamin C, potassium and carotenes.

Carotenes are powerful antioxidants and help to protect the body from cancer and other chronic diseases.

Leeks have similar nutritional properties to onions. They are a good source of vitamins B6, C and folic acid; the minerals manganese and iron; and dietary fibre.

Like onions, leeks contain numerous beneficial substances, including flavonoids. In clinical studies, these substances have been shown to help decrease blood lipid levels and blood sugar levels.

The active blood sugar lowering compound is believed to be allyl propyl disulphide (APDS). Evidence suggests that APDS competes with insulin for breakdown sites in the liver, thereby increasing the life span of insulin.

Whenever possible, I add sea vegetables to my recipes, as they are rich in minerals and soluble fibre, which soothes the digestive tract.

So here's the recipe - hope you enjoy it - and please leave any questions or comments below.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• Olive oil (1 tbsp)
• A small pinch of fine sea salt
• 3 medium leeks (sliced in half lengthwise, washed and cut in small pieces)
• 3 courgettes (zucchini) (washed and sliced)
• 1 strip wakame sea vegetable (soaked for 5 minutes and cut into small pieces)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil or 1-2 tablespoons fresh basil (chopped)
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 2-3 cups water
• 1 dessertspoon of white (shiro) miso. You can use a stock cube or home made vegetable stock instead. I use miso because it's full of beneficial nutrients and antioxidants. Please click here to read more about cooking with miso.
• Fresh basil to garnish

Method

Heat a saucepan, add the oil and a pinch of sea salt and gently saute the leeks for 5 to 10 minutes until soft and translucent

Add the rinsed wakame sea vegetable, courgettes (zucchini) and just enough water to cover the vegetables. If using dried basil, add now.

Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until soft. If using fresh basil, add now after the other vegetables have cooked so you preserve the flavour.

Add the lime juice and blend to a smooth consistency, adjusting the liquid if necessary.

Dilute 1 dessert spoon of white miso in a little water and add gradually to the soup. Keep tasting until you have added enough miso to obtain a flavour you love.

Serve garnished with some fresh basil.

Nutritional information

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