A delicious warming chunky winter soup full of filling vegetables lean strips of bacon and soft tinned beans of your choice, I used black eyed and cannellini but haricot or even chickpeas would work just as well.

This soup could very easily be made into a main meal by serving with pasta or rice and great for feeding a crowd. Reheats well so great to take to work for an on the go lunch.

Serves 4.

Low – calorie cooking spray

6 rashers of lean back bacon, visible fat removed, chopped

1 large red onion, chopped

2 large carrots, diced

4 celery sticks, diced

1tsp smoked paprika

500g passata

200ml chicken stock

1tbs Worcestershire sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 x 400g cans of beans, eg cannellini, haricot, drained and rinsed

Fresh parsley, chopped to serve

Method

Spray a non – stick saucepan with low – calorie cooking spray and place on a low heat. Add the bacon and fry for 2 – 3 minutes, then add the onion, carrots, celery. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

Uncover the pan and add the paprika, passata, stock and Worcestershire sauce, simmer for 30 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and thickened.

Stir the beans into the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper, serve hot sprinkled with fresh parsley.

This soup reheats very well, leave to cool, store in the fridge and reheat in a microwave or saucepan.