Creamy vegetable soup with croutons, sausages and bacon - Friday November 2nd 2012

With half of the bag of stir fry vegetables from Thursday to use up in the fridge, but no desire for another ersatz Chinese meal, I decided to make soup.

Two onions, a leek and half a head of celery, roughly chopped and softened in some oil in the bottom of the pressure cooker, then the stir fry veg thrown in on top. Some fresh thyme leaves, vegetable stock powder, water to cover.  Cook for 15 minutes at full pressure, release the pressure then allow to cool slightly.  Whizz up in a liquidiser or with a stick blender, and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Whilst this was cooking, I tossed some bread cubes in garlic olive oil and baked them for 15 minutes at high heat until golden and crisp, and fried a couple of sausages and some chopped bacon.

25 minutes including preparation, and a couple of bowlfuls each made a useful and very cheap meal.