Better with Brita: Watercress Soup with Chives (5:2 Diet)
Better with Brita:
Watercress Soup with Chives
(5:2 Diet)
Welcome to my SECOND Better with Brita recipe post! When I was deciding what to make for my next recipe, I thought of soup straight away, as soup is made with water and what better way to showcase Brita filtered water then with a soup recipe. And, this is not any old soup, but it’s a beautiful and very seasonal recipe for watercress soup with chives, and chive flowers; it was made with some fabulous hand-picked Hampshire watercress that I brought back with me from the recent Watercress Festival in Alresford…….the chives and chive flowers are from my garden and the water is pure Brita filtered water of course!
The watercress beds at Alresford
This low-calorie and no-fat soup recipe showcases the filtered water perfectly, as the colour is so vibrant and fresh, as you can see from the photos; that’s because I used freshly boiled filtered water for my stock and there is none of that nasty film that you see on top of liquids when you use non-filtered water……the colour sings and is a bright green with a clear and fresh taste to the soup, it’s late spring and early summer in a bowl and not only that, but it’s only 100 calories per serving, making it an excellent recipe for those following the 5:2 diet, for a fast day meal.
Chive and watercress soup
This soup recipe is wonderful when served hot or cold too, and would make a fabulous summer dinner party starter, as well as a warm and comforting bowl of goodness when the weather is not so good. Watercress is the original “super food” and as well as it’s wonderful colour, I love the peppery and mustard flavours that it imparts to food when it is used. Brimming over with an amazing 15 vital nutrients and minerals, gram for gram watercress can boast more vitamin C than oranges, more vitamin E than broccoli, more calcium than whole milk and more iron than spinach! Watercress also has exceptionally high levels of Beta-carotene which is converted into vitamin A in the body and needed for growth and development, immunity, and healthy vision, hair, skin, nails, bones and teeth. (watercress.co.uk)
Better with Brita: Watercress Soup with Chives (5:2 Diet)
I hope you enjoy this recipe if you make it, whether it be for a fast day on the 5:2 diet, or for a family luncheon dish……don’t forget to get that vibrant bright green colour to your soup, try to use filtered water! And, if you or someone you know is a dab hand at baking, preserving or cooking, then don’t forget to enter your home-made goods into the BIG FEASTIVAL competition here: Better with Brita – Showcase your Food at The Big Feastival & Win a Brita Hamper of Goodies! You can also win a BRITA hamper of goodies there too! That’s it for today, see you later with more new recipes, Karen
Disclaimer: Sponsored Post – I was paid a fee for working with BRITA as an ambassador as well as receiving a BRITA Filter Tap (RRP £499), a BRITA Water Jug (RRP £33), 4 x BRITA Fill&Go Bottles (RRP £14:99) and relevant cartridges.
Watercress Soup with Chives (5:2 Diet)
Print recipe
| Serves | 3 |
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
| Cook time | 15 minutes |
| Total time | 20 minutes |
| Dietary | Vegan, Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Lunch, Main Dish, Snack, Soup, Starter |
| Misc | Pre-preparable, Serve Cold, Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Casual Party, Easter, Formal Party, Thanksgiving, Valentines day |
| Region | British |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- Bunch of fresh chives, trimmed and chopped finely (about 75g in weight)
- 2 small potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 litre vegetable stock made with boiled filtered water
- 225g fresh watercress, finely chopped (keep some leaves back to garnish)
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- fresh chives and chive flowers to garnish
Note
This "skinny" version of classic watercress soup is made with no fat or cream and is only 100 calories per serving. The added chives add a subtle onion flavour that enhances the peppery taste of the watercress. 100 calories per small serving, or 150 calories per large serving. (Makes 3 small or 2 large servings)
Directions
| Step 1 | Put the diced potatoes and chopped chives into a sauce pan that has a lid with a couple of tablespoons of filtered water and simmer with the lid on for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. |
| Step 2 | Add the chopped watercress and stock, and simmer for a further 3 to 5 minutes. |
| Step 3 | Remove from the heat and blend in a liquidiser or by hand with an immersion blender until smooth. |
| Step 4 | Pour the soup back into the pan, add seasoning to taste and gently reheat without boiling before serving in warmed bowls with chopped chives, chive flowers and watercress leaves as a garnish. |
| Step 5 | 100 calories per bowl and this recipe makes 3 servings. |
My other Better with Brita Posts:
Better with Brita: Water as an Ingredient & Potato & Kale Curry
Better with Brita – Showcase your Food at The Big Feastival & Win a Brita Hamper of Goodies!
Camilla @FabFood4All says
I love watercress and as a kid used to go to a mill where they did a watercress tea! This soup sounds totally lush with the addition of chives – a tonic for sure:-)
Karen Burns-Booth says
Ah the watercress tea, I love them and remember them so well Camilla!
Janie says
Gorgeous looking soup Karen, great job! If you have any watercress left, pop it in a glass of water & it’ll sprout roots. Plant them up & you’ll have your very own supply! Bizarrely it doesn’t need to stand in water – we grew it in the poly tunnel last year and it stayed alive ALL winter without getting watered once! Love, love, love the stuff 🙂
Janie x
Karen Burns-Booth says
GREAT tip thanks Janie and I will do that, as I have LOADS of it left over!
Nayna Kanabar (@SIMPLYF00D) says
Gorgeous soup, I love the vibrant colour and the freshness of t.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Nayna and perfect for National Vegetarian Week too! 😉
Ren Behan says
Great colour on your soup. I also bookmarked a creamy kale soup recipe which reminded me to get my blender out so I’ll try this one, too.
Karen says
Thanks Ren, I truly believe that the colour is enhanced by clear filtered water, and the fact that this watercress was picked freshly from the watercress beds in Hampshire.
Deena kakaya says
Wonderfully clean, simple and virtuous. Can’t ask for more x
Karen says
Thanks Deena! And perfect for National Vegetarian Week too!
Lauren Hairston says
I just made a watercress salad dressing last night and a watercress salad a few weeks ago. I’d never had watercress before that! I finally saw it in one of our grocery stores and grabbed a few bunches. Maybe its “superfood” status has made it popular enough for grocers in Kansas to stock it…
The watercress/chive combination sounds lovely. I’ve got some chives growing on my back porch! (Really proud of that because I have a black thumb.)
Karen says
I adore watercress sauce and salad Lauren and it’s wonderful when served with fish, especially salmon. Yes, it’s superfood status has brought it back into the limelight again, but I remember mum used to buy it regularly when we were little and we used to often enjoy it for tea as a salad or in sandwiches! Karen
lemonade diet info says
I love watercress and this meal sounds amazing!
Can’t wait to try it!