Pea, Mint and Butter Bean Soup

At this time of year when the weather in the western hemisphere starts to turn colder all I start to think about is warming foods. Soups are definitely a favourite of mine at this time of year. Recently I have been experimenting with different ingredients for making soup and I have discovered butter beans make soups really thick and creamy.

Butter beans make a hearty addition to soups. I have started to use them a lot more in my soups as they have a buttery texture. (Hence the name butter beans.) Butter beans can offer as much protein as meat and dairy foods. They are also high in fibre and the fibre in beans is beneficial in lowering cholesterol levels. Beans contain insoluble fibre which is helpful in preventing digestive disorders.

My husband and son really do not like peas so when I make this meal I make it just for me. I love peas, mint and beans so this was a delicious combination. To blend the ingredients  I used my Nutribullet which I think gave the soup an even creamier texture. It’s great with a Chickpea Flour Wrap or if you can eat bread it would be yummy with a crusty roll. Well worth a try if you love peas like me.

Serves 4

Equipment needed

• Saucepan
• Colander
• Jug
• Nutribullet

Ingredients needed

• Frozen peas x 400g
• Vegetable stock or milk x 500mls
• Butter beans x 2 400g tins
• Fresh mint x 1 handful
• Salt and Pepper to taste.

Method

• Start by boiling the peas in the vegetable stock or milk as per the packet instructions.
• Leave them to cool.
• Drain the butter beans in the colander.
• Next put the colander on top of the jug
• Once the peas have cooled, pour them through the colander with the butter beans in.
• Now add half of the peas, butter beans and mint to the Nutribullet.
• Add a little of the stock.
  • You can add half the stock but it depends how thick you like your soup.
• Then blend all of the ingredients together.
• Put these back into the saucepan.
• Repeat the process with the rest of the ingredients and add this to the saucepan as well.
• Finally add salt and pepper to taste.
• Turn the heat on to warm the soup through, then serve and enjoy.

Pea, Mint and Butter Bean Soup is a simple recipe which is quick and easy to do. Sadly if you are using frozen peas you can’t refreeze the soup. So it’s a meal that must be eaten immediately. However it’s such a quick dish that is could be made in 10 minutes so no need to freeze it for a mid week meal. I love this dish and I hope you give peas a chance. However you decide to enjoy this recipe, as always, enjoy.

What are your favourite foods to eat during winter? I would love to hear about them so let me know in the comments below.