This soup is packed with feel-good veggies and has a tomato base, making it a filling and flavourful main dish. If you have any leftover parmesan rind, add it to the pot – it will give the soup a rich, full-bodied flavour. Use up any vegetables in your crisper along with new season produce. You can use fresh, frozen, or a combination of both.

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ cups green or brown lentils (canned is okay)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped carrots
• 1 cup fresh corn, chopped
• 2 cups onion, finely diced
• 2–3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 cups kale or spinach, chopped
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 can unsalted diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (low sodium or homemade)
• 2 tsp finely chopped thyme
• ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper
• 1 parmesan rind (optional)
• 1½ tbsp red wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp chopped parsley, to garnish
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add onion, carrot and celery. Cook until softened – about 6–10 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant.
2. Add broth, lentils, tomatoes, corn, thyme, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar and parmesan rind (if using). Bring to the boil over medium heat and cook for 15–20 minutes. Add more broth if needed.
3. Add kale or spinach and cook, covered, until tender (5–10 minutes). Remove and discard the parmesan rind if used.

To serve, sprinkle with fresh parsley and grated parmesan.

This soup freezes well, so it’s great for meal prepping.

How about candied kumquats, sliced and sprinkled with a generous amount of sugar and then slow-roasted in the oven? You can add them to sweet or savoury dishes. Place in jars for future use, the same with mandarins. Scatter caster sugar over a baking dish. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Halve mandarins and press cut side down onto the sugar. Let stand until sugar dissolves and forms a thick crust (about five minutes). Turn your mandarins cut side up and add the juice and rind of one lemon and one orange with two tablespoons of water. Pour around the mandarins and roast until juicy and beginning to caramelise. Serve with ginger custard or ice cream.

On the savoury side, citrus salsa verde is delicious with salmon. Juice and zest one lemon and one orange. Add two tablespoons of olive oil, some grated garlic, and a teaspoon of smoked paprika. Add chopped herbs, parsley and coriander. Serve with salmon that has been slow-roasted with citrus juices as a zesty side.

Citrus salts are an easy addition to your seasonings. Add an equal amount of salt flakes and micro-planed zest. Mix with your fingers to distribute the zest. Air-dry in the open and when dry, store in an airtight container. Use your imagination here: fresh herbs, chilli flakes, etc., to liven up your dishes. You can also use it to season roast chicken, curries, popcorn, vegetables, etc.

And lastly, don’t throw out those peels. Fill up a jar and add white vinegar to cover. Leave for two weeks to infuse. Decant into a spray bottle and use as a surface spray to keep your kitchen sparkling. Can’t ask for more than that!

Lyn Hand