Ever find it’s too hot to make a roast on a summer’s Sunday or even too hot to stand outside and bbq?
Today was one of those days where we came home from church and I was glad that i had thought ahead.
The boys had helped me make a really easy green mug soup, which I have since realised is also perfect to get them to eat their greens when it’s picnic time on a day out.

Here’s what we put in:
some garlic
the bits of a courgette that my julienne cutter wouldn’t catch anymore
two handfuls of frozen peas
a handful of soya or edamame beans
2 nuggets of frozen spinach or two handfuls of fresh
a five year olds handful of fresh mint
1/2 l of vegetable stock
some cumin
some lemon juice

This is how we did it:
1st Fried the garlic and courgette pieces until it started to give a bit of a scent
then threw in all the other ingredients
poured boiling water and stock powder
whizzed with food processor or hand blender
added cumin and lemon juice to test

At this stage the soup will be cold from all the frozen veg, so you could serve straight away – in a mug, because that way, if you have children, they will be so excited that their drink is so much better than plain water…in return they have a great intake of greens: double bonus!
We just put it in the fridge and when we got home our lunch was ready waiting for us: Very tasty with leftover communion bread…the sacredness that keeps on giving.
And the third alternative; pour in a flask to keep cool and take on a picnic; again, serve in cups or mugs for freedom from mess in awkward sitting positions (anyone else too old for picnics??).