Last Updated on December 7, 2018 by Fiona Maclean
Low Calorie Creamy Leek Soup – experimenting with Raw Food:
I should be doing the 5:2 Diet. I know I should be – I’ve put on a bit of weight and I’ve discovered that the 5:2 diet is a way that works for me – if I fast (500 calories) one day a week I maintain a decent weight – if I fast for two days I lose slowly!
Well my incentive to get going is actually the efforts of some of my fellow bloggers. All of whom seem to be taking this a lot more seriously than me. When Jac first asked me if I’d like to take part in making smoothies and juices as part of #Jumpstart15. Initially I balked at the idea but suggested Icould make some soup. Even so, to keep to the rules I’ve had to modify what I’d normally do, by making it vegetarian and dairy free and by keeping it low fat. I’ve cheated just a bit by using soya cream and by including a tiny bit of oil to sweat the final leek.
I do think I’m 90% of the way there though. And, I’m quite proud to have ‘almost’ made a raw soup. Everything except the final leek has been cooked by processing it in my froothie which means that it is ‘raw’ (food which hasn’t been heated above 48C). In order to remove the bitter taste of raw leeks, I had to process the mixture for around 20 minutes – ‘cooking’ everything using the friction created by the machine. If you want to make the same soup with a conventional blender, I’d suggest softening the leeks and potatoes in a little vegetable oil before adding the cooking liquid and poaching for 20 to 30 minutes. Soup is one of the mainstays of the 5:2 diet for me, and this particular recipe would work very well for a fast day lunch – alpro light soya cream is relatively low in calories at 72 per 100ml and there’s not much else in the mixture that would bring the calorie count up.
- 3 Medium Leeks trimmed and chopped into 1cm pieces
- 1/2 Medium Cauliflower broken into florets
- 1 Small Potato cleaned and diced (peeled if you like)
- 250 ml Alpro lighter soya cream or single cream
- 500 ml Vegetable stock freshly made or from a good stock cube/bouillon
- 1 teaspoon Vegetable oil I used rapeseed oil
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Add two of the leeks, the cauliflower and the potato to a high power blender together with the cream.
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Blitz on full power for 15 minutes so that the mixture heats through.
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Meanwhile, sweat the remaining leek with the oil over a low heat.
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Then add in the hot stock to the puree, check and adjust seasoning and continue to blitz for another 5-10 minutes
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Put the cooked leeks in the bottom of each soup bowl and top with the creamy soup
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Season well with freshly ground black pepper.
If you don't have a high power blender, then gently stew 2 leeks, the diced potato and the cauliflower in the stock for 15-20 minutes. Add the cream and heat through before blitzing. Serve in the same way with the remaining leeks used to add texture.
If you are keen to eat a little bit more healthily in 2015, keep an eye out for our healthy eating posts on twitter and facebook. And let me know in the comments below what you are planning to do to improve your diet.
I have leeks in the fridge, guess what I’ll be cooking tomorrow? 🙂
Sounds so delicious! Definitely one to bookmark and make 🙂 x
im trying this one, i like leek soup
We’re always buying leeks looks a good one to try out Thank You
I will be trying out this recipe, I bet it has a great depth of flavour!
I like leeks so this looks good
I love leeks so this soup would be great
yummy
Must give this a go, I love leek & potato soup but always steer clear if I’m dieting, great to have a low cal option
A creamy diet food – that’s a first ! Lovely !
I love the smell of frying leeks.
Tried out this soup and it’s gorgeous
One of my favourite soups and great that it’s low calorie!
Great way to use up leeks from our allotment – will give this a try thanks
I love my soup! Love this one too!
I will certainly give this one a go. Thank you.
This sounds fabulous. This is worth trying.
I really need to join in with jumpstart 15 and your delicious soup.
I love leek and potato soup, but always thought of it as definitely not 5:2. I’ll have to give this a go. GG
I would love this with some home made soda bread. I made a loaf at the week end and with this soup its as good as it gets for me. Thanks for the recipe.
I love everything with leek! I need more healthy and low calorie soups in my life 🙂
I love cooking with leeks, they have such a nice sweetness but still all the flavour of a member of the alium family
xx
Love leek and potato soup. Not sure I’m too keen on the idea of raw potato though :-S
it cooks if you froothie for long enough.