The recipe for this soup came about by chance. I had a whole bunch of celery that I didn't want to toss! The vegetable lends itself brilliantly to soups, and the underlying taste can go either way depending on the additional ingredients. Due to the chickpeas, mushroom and peas, this soup has a sweet, earthy, nutty, lentil-like flavour.

Celery also has a lot of health benefits, such as helping to reduce inflammation and aid digestion. It’s heavy in water content and is often praised by those into fitness and weight loss. No need, in this case, to blend the celery into a bland juice! It's a lot more versatile than that.

Like with all soups, you can get creative, put in your favourite ingredients, and make use of other vegetables you don’t want to go waste.

You also don't need to wait for the cold weather for this one. Celery is in season, and make for a great summertime soup.

I would recommend incorporating some extra greens - I add some zucchini and peas for nutritional value and sweetness. The chickpeas for another flavour element (the nuttiness) and to help thicken the soap. Potatoes are another great option for that. Give it a go!

Ingredients

1 large bunch celery sticks

1 large portobello mushroom, chopped

1 small zucchini, sliced and chopped

1 cup dried chickpeas (soaked overnight and drained)

1/3 cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fenugreek

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

3 vegetable bouillon cubes

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon coriander

1 tablespoon dried thyme

4-5 cups water

1/4 cup heavy cream or coconut cream

Instructions

Wash, peel and chop the celery into small pieces - peeling will get rid of the larger strands and make for a more pleasant celery eating experience! 

In a large pot, sauté the garlic and onion in the butter and vegetable oil for about 2 minutes. Add the spices, bouillon cubes, salt and pepper, and cook for another 3 minutes. 

Add the chickpeas, celery and zucchini. Sweat out the vegetables for about 5 minutes.

Add the peas and mushroom, cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in the water and simmer on reduced heat with the lid on. Stirring occasionally, do this for about 30 minutes or until the chickpeas and celery have softened. Season to taste.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cream, set aside to cool for 10 minutes. 

Using a hand mixer or blender, cream the soup until smooth.

Top with fresh basil, thyme and cream, and serve with toasted bread. Enough for 4-5.