Vegetable Soup on a Cold Night

Serves 6-8

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 140 g (5 oz.) sugar-free tomato paste (concentrated purée)
• 400 g (14 oz.) tin chopped tomatoes (sugar and additive free)
• 150 g (51/2 oz.) green beans, topped, tailed and cut into 34 cm
• (11/411/2 inch) lengths
• 1/4 cabbage, coarsely shredded
• 1/2 cauliflower, roughly chopped
• 2 zucchini (courgettes), diced
• 1 red capsicum (pepper), diced
• 1 green capsicum (pepper), diced
• 1 bunch kale or 1/2 bunch silverbeet
• (Swiss chard), stalks trimmed and leaves coarsely shredded
• 1 litre (35 fl oz./4 cups) additive-free vegetable stock or filtered water
• 1 handful herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary and basil, chopped

Heat the coconut oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and lightly brown the onion, garlic and celery over medium heat for about 5 minutes. 
Stir in the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes and cook for a minute or two. 
Add the beans, cabbage, cauliflower, zucchini, capsicum and kale, and cook for 12 minutes more. Add the stock or water and, if necessary pour, in enough extra filtered water to cover the vegetables. 
Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. 
If you prefer a smoother soup, transfer to a blender or use a hand-held blender and whiz until the desired texture is reached. 
Serve hot, sprinkled with the herbs.