We’ve been determined since my daughter was born to cook all of (OK, most of) her food from scratch instead of buying it those little jars, so this is my opportunity to pass on some of what we’ve learned. Mia loves them and I’m sure your babies will too.

The Jerusalem Artichoke is a really underused vegetable which looks looks a bit like a potato, has a texture a bit like a radish, and tastes nothing like either. It is actually the root of a species of sunflower and has a really unique earthy flavour.

Czarnina is pretty much a traditional Polish dish, yet shows just how much we in the Western world (UK, in my case) have become detached from our food. All meat has blood in it, but the mere mention of a soup where blood is the primary ingredient still never fails to raise an eyebrow.

Now, how to cook a white carrot and still keep it interesting? A quick scan of the internet shows recipes ranging from white carrot juice and white carrot cake. Since I’ve not tasted white carrot before, I opted for a recipe which would highlight its flavour (a bit more delicate than a “normal” carrot, I think); the humble soup.

I’ve had my eye on the stinging nettles near where I take the dog for a walk for a while now; nettles are one of natures great freebies and I really needed to grab some before it was too late (fresh young leaves are the best, so March / April are the best times). I’ve tried Nettle Soup before, which is fantastic, but never ventured further than that; now I can happily report that Nettle Pesto is delicious too.

The parsnip.  Not a very exciting vegetable on its own and certainly one that always seems to be left lurking when my vegetable box is almost empty, but one which works incredibly well with other flavours.  A curried parsnip soup is one way of using this vegetable which is becoming pretty well known, so …

This bright red beetroot soup is popular throughout the whole of Eastern Europe and it’s easy to see why – the colour is stunning and the taste is delicious!

Papa al Pomodoro is, truly, one of the most delicious and simple soups you can make, originating in Tuscany and consisting of not much more than tomatoes and bread. In my case, it’s also great for creating the illusion of summer; the reality is very wintry wind and rain hammering my window as I type!

Broccoli is a really super healthy vegetable that is underused in the kitchen, high in vitamin c and fibre as well as being a natural diuretic with anti-carcinogenic (cancer reducing) properties. Phew – I feel healthier just talking about it!

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Seasonal Food is where it’s at. So there’s no better way in my eyes than to combine a whole bunch of the best vegetables that May has to offer – in this case, in the form of a soup. Some of you might be put off [...]