Vegetable Soup With Spinach

It's so cold today. I'm currently sat huddled up under blankets, my fingers and the tip of my nose are icy cold. I don't know if its the weather, or just my piss poor circulation.  What I do know is that the perfect thing for cold days is lots of hot drinks. Soup counts as a hot drink. Mmm. Soup. Vats of vegetable soup and lots of lapsang, and that's me set for the winter!
This recipe for veg soup is one of the best yet, quick and easy, thick and smooth, and tasty. It's simple, and rewarding. You can omit the chicken for a vegetarian option. The choice of spices is up to you, I usually add in an OXO Italian spice cube, salt, and pepper, and nothing else. Here's how to do it:

Topped with croutons, served with herby garlic flatbread.

VEGETABLE SOUP
YOU WILL NEED:
500g chicken breast, cubed
1 Tomato
1 Pepper
1 Carrot
1 Potato
2 Medium onions
1 Chicken/ vegetable stock cube
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 Inch piece ginger, finely diced.
1-2 Green Chillies, diced finely.
Salt and pepper, and your choice of spices (e.g. OXO Italian Spice cube) to taste.
Handful spinach, chopped.

METHOD:

1. Roughly chop the tomato, carrot. pepper, potato and one onion. Boil until softened and cooked, then add in the stock cube and liquidise.
2. Meanwhile, dice the other onion finely. Braise in butter until soft. Add in the ginger, garlic and green chilli. 
3. Add in the chicken and spices, and let it cook until the chicken is cooked through and the water has burnt away.
4. Add the liquidised mixture to the chicken, adding in more water if needed.
5. For a vegetarian option: Boil the vegetables, then add in the stock cube and liquidise. Lightly cook the ginger, garlic and chilli in a little oil, then add in the liquidised mixture. Add in the spices, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for five-ten minutes, adding more water if needed.
6. Lightly braise the spinach in butter until just wilted and warmed through. add into the soup, pour into bowls (or cups!) and serve, alone or with crusty, or flat bread.

On a side note, the best thing to do with stale bread is turn it into croutons. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with a choice of dried hers, and slow bake or grill on low heat, tossing occasionally, until crisp. They taste really good with soups and salads, or even on their own as a snack!