Roasted pepper and tomato soup

This is a really low fat soup that’s bursting with goodness – perfect for a quick mum-friendly lunch. Make a batch at the weekend then stick it in a lidded jug in the fridge for the week ahead.

The peppers and tomatoes produce a beautiful flavour once roasted, so make sure you scrape every last bit of juice from the baking trays into the soup!

I’m really bored of shop-bought soup so it’s brilliant making your own and having the ultimate control over what flavours you put in. This is Matthew’s favourite of my home made soups so far, so i’ll definitely be making it again.

I served it up for Arlo one lunchtime with little cheese and marmite sandwich fingers for him to dunk.

Roasted pepper and tomato soup
serves 4 (makes 1.25 litres)

500g fresh plum tomatoes, halved
4 peppers, halved and deseeded
handful basil leaves, torn
olive oil, for drizzling
1 leek, chopped
500 ml vegetable stock
pesto, to serve

1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas. Lay out the plum tomato halves on a baking tray (with sides) cut side up, season, scatter with half of the basil leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Repeat on another baking tray with the pepper halves. Pop in the oven for 30-40 minutes until roasted and soft.

2. Meanwhile gently fry the chopped leek in olive oil, make up your vegetable stock and once cool place in your blender.

3. Remove peppers and tomatoes from the oven, allow to cool a little and then put in blender. Blitz until smooth then either pour into a pan and heat through gently or pour into a container and store in the fridge or freezer.

4. Serve in bowls with a swirl of pesto and some toasted pitta for dunking.