Oats Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup (30 g) rolled oats
• 1 tbsp (14 ml) olive oil or any neutral oil
• 4 cloves garlic (12 g), finely chopped
• 1 tsp (5 g) finely chopped ginger
• 1 small onion (60 g), finely chopped
• 1 small carrot (50 g), finely diced
• 6 French beans (30 g), finely chopped
• ¼ cup (35 g) sweet corn kernels
• ¼ cup (35 g) green peas
• ½ cup (35 g) chopped cabbage or broccoli florets
• 2½ cups (600 ml) water or homemade vegetable stock
• ½ tsp crushed black pepper, ½ tsp dried oregano or mixed herbs, ¼ tsp chilli flakes
• Salt, to taste (about ¾ tsp)
• 2 tsp (10 ml) lemon juice
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves or spring onion greens

Method

1. 1Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for about 40 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
2. 2Add the onion and cook 2 minutes until it softens. Add the oats and stir them through the oil for 1 to 2 minutes until they smell lightly toasted.
3. 3Add the carrot, beans, corn, peas and cabbage. Toss for 2 minutes on medium-high heat so the vegetables lose their raw edge.
4. 4Pour in the water or stock with the salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the carrot is tender and the soup has thickened slightly.
5. 5Stir in the pepper, herbs and chilli flakes. If the soup is thicker than you like, add hot water a little at a time.
6. 6Turn off the heat, add the lemon juice and coriander, and taste for salt. Ladle into bowls while hot.