A change in season calls for a meal plan rethink and this is the perfect antidote to the shorter, cooler, darker days. This chunky, traditional soup is hearty comfort food the whole family will enjoy. I like to keep the veg chunky so there is some bite to the dish but you could blend to smooth if preferred.

What you'll need:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 carrots, roughly chopped
•  2 small or 1 medium sized sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
•  2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
•  2 leeks, roughly chopped (remove the green stalky part)
•  2 white onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 bag of parsnips, roughly chopped 
•  200g red split lentils, rinsed
• 3 bay leaves
•  1.5 cups of fresh parsley (stalks and leaves)
• Black pepper, grind to taste 
•  4 level tsp. bouillon powder
• 1.5 litres water (or enough to just cover the veg)

How to cook the soup:

1. Sautee all the vegetables in a little olive oil in a large, deep pan for 5 minutes or so, until the onions and leeks are softened. 
2. Add the lentils, bouillon powder and enough water to cover.
3. Add the herbs, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes. Keep the lid askew to help the vegetables steam as they simmer. Check and stir every 10 minutes or so.
4. Top up with water if necessary until the vegetables are cooked. Don’t put in too much water though, as this is a chunky soup.
5. Serve with oatcakes and hummus or cottage cheese. 

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I have been making variations of this salad since I backpacked around Turkey in 2012. Known locally as a ‘Shepherd’s Salad’ it is served with everything, all over Turkey. It combines all the seasonal local produce (cucumber, tomatoes and pomegranate) with parsley and mint.

The thing that truly sets this salad apart is the pomegranate seeds, available in abundance in Turkey throughout summer. These pink little jewels burst in your mouth and combined with the palate cleansing parsley make a deliciously juicy and refreshing salad. 

To make one large salad bowl:

• 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes 
• 1 cucumber
• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 small red onion
• 1 pomegranate
• Large handful of parsley
• Small handful of mint leaves
• 1 lemon
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Optional sprinkling of sesame seeds

Dice all the vegetables.
Quarter the pomegranate and remove the seeds.
Finely chop the parsley and mint (remove the stalks if you have the patience, I just chuck it all in). 
Toss all the ingredients together in a large salad bowl.
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and the juice of one large lemon. 

I love to make a large bowl of it and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. It pairs perfectly with grilled chicken or fish, feta cheese, chickpeas or hummus. And it’s a beautiful rainbow of colour! 

Pomegranates are a rich source of vitamin C (important for skin healing, anti-ageing and immunity) and thanks to their unique polyphenols have shown to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and support healthy hearts and prostates. 

Get them while they’re in season and available in the UK - summertime! If you can’t get pomegranates you can put a Moroccan spin on the same salad here.