This easy bean soup is just the thing to serve up in a big bowl in the middle of the table for the family to help themselves.

• 2 carrots
• 1 onion
• 1 celery stick
• 1 large potato
• 2 garlic cloves
• Fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon of fennel seed
• Half a teaspoon of chilli flakes
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 100g greens (kale, spring greens, spinach)
• A large bread roll
• 25g vegetarian parmesan
• Salt and pepper

HEARTY FOOD MADE WITH LOVE

1. Finely chop the carrot, onion and celery.
2. Heat a tablespoon of oil in an oven proof pan, add the vegetables and soften for about ten minutes.
3. Peel and wash the potato and roughly chop. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Take the leaves from two fresh thyme stalks. Discard the stalk.
4. Add the potato, garlic, thyme leaves, fennel seed and chilli to the pan.
5. Add the tomatoes, and beans (including the liquid from the can) and a can of water.
6. Bring the pot to a simmer and cook until the veg is soft and the sauce reduced down.
7. Heat the oven to 220c.
8. Tear the bread into bite sized chunks and scatter over the top of the soup.
9. Scatter over the cheese.
10. Put the pot in the oven and baked until the bread and cheese have turned golden.
11. Serve. Delicious with pesto.