Recipe from Make Five/ Maak vyf
Serves 4 – 6

300 g cherry tomatoes, halved

2 onions, cut in wedges

2 cloves of garlic, quartered

2 large red peppers, seeded and cut in strips

2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 leeks, cut in thick slices

45 ml (3 tbsp) fresh thyme leaves

45 ml (3 tbsp) olive or avocado oil

lemon juice, salt and pepper

750 ml (3 cup) vegetable or chicken stock or strong Rooibos tea

2. Place all the veggies, thyme and oil in a large mixing bowl and mix well.

3. Place the veggie mixture on the baking tray and season to taste.

4. Roast 45 minutes or until veggies are cooked and golden brown, but not too dark. Remove any pieces that are too dark or burnt.

5. Place everything on the baking tray in a large pot, but keep a few cherry tomatoes aside. Stir in the stock and blend with a hand blender or in a blender. Season to taste and heat until warmed through. Add a little extra water if it is too thick to your taste.

6. Serve hot with more herbs, like parsley, basil or basil pesto, sour cream or a drizzle of olive oil. Top with some of the remaining cherry tomatoes and add a good grind of black pepper. The soup is also delicious with fresh avocado.

2. The roasted veggies can also be served as a side dish. Don’t blend the veggies with the stock as in the recipe, but serve as is or in couscous or pasta.