A Vitamin C boost roasted pepper and tomato soup

The reason for this soup was two fold. I don't know about anyone else but the "changeable" weather is playing havoc with my little munchkin's immune system. Sixteen plus degrees last week making this week feel baltic and damp. So this soup is a vitamin C boost and also i over did it with the veggies in last weeks grocery shop so this also acts as a veg box clear out.

I have made a very quick and basic vegetable stock but of course you could use a low salt stock cube or bouillon and it doesn't have to be vegetable.

Roasted pepper and tomato soup
Vegetarian and gluten free
Suitable for freezing

For the stock (basically whatever vegetables were in the fridge)
3 shallots or 1 white onion
2 carrots halved
1 garlic clove
2 sticks celery
Broccoli stalk
1/2 turnip
Fresh thyme
Fresh oregano
4-5 mushroom stalks
5 black peppercorns

Roughly chop the shallots/onion and garlic. Heat a little oil in a large saucepan and very gently sweat off the onion and garlic. Then add the rest of the ingredients and just cover with water, put the lid on and gently bring to the boil. Once boiling reduce to a simmer and leave for at least 20-30 mins. Then strain through a fine sieve and it is ready to use it can also be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen in batches for further use.

For the soup base
1/2 red, yellow and orange pepper
3-4 plum tomatoes
Twist cracked black pepper
Splosh olive or rapeseed oil

Pop these into the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for around 20-30 minutes or until they are nice and soft with some slightly charred parts which will give the nice roasted taste.
When out of the oven immediately place into a zip-loc bag or a bowl and cover with cling film. Leave for at least ten minutes and the skins will slide off easily.
Roughly chop and set aside.

1 medium white onion or 2-3 shallots finely diced
1 garlic clove smashed/crushed
1/2 courgette finely diced
1 stick celery finely diced
1/2 leek finely sliced
2 handfuls of red lentils
2 teaspoons tomato puree
1 teaspoon of fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs such as thyme or oregano

Meanwhile sweat the onions, garlic, courgette,, celery and leek gently, once nice and translucent throw in the lentils and puree and cook out for 2 minutes stirring all the time. Add the roasted peppers, tomatoes and herbs stir so everything is mixed together and cover with the stock, if your a little short of stock just top up with some boiling water. Cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes approximately or until the lentils are soft but not total mush. Blitz with a hand blender or in a food processor, if its too thick you can let it down with some more stock or water.

For older kids/adults sweat off some fresh chillies along with the soup base and season with salt or more herbs (better for you).

To posh to dip the bread so we had to have it broken up into spoon-able pieces.....