I hate the idea of the 'January detox' as much as the next person. You won't do yourself any favours by starving for a month, save for the occasional nibble of celery, followed by a full-on sugar/meat/carb binge come February.
However, I, like many, put away enough food and booze in two days to keep a family happy for a week at any other time of the year, so at least for the next week, lighter meals, and a little more attention to healthy detail (do you really need a lug of olive oil and a pinch of sea-salt in everything?) won't do any harm.
This pea soup, with the added fresh zinginess of lime and corriander is actually quite a summery dish, but that makes it a much needed and refreshing change to the baked, cheese-sodden stodge which has become my winter staple.
The peas and lime are packed with Vitamin C, which will kick the shit out of any lingering winter colds, whilst also being full of flavour. The soup is also pretty much fat free, helping alleviate any seasonal snugness of jeans.
Serve with toasted seed-filled bread.
Ingredients (serves 4)
900g (standard size bag) of frozen garden peas
zest of 1 lime
1 small bunch of coriander
1 vegetable stock cube
Directions
Empty the peas into a large saucepan with the stock cube and lime zest and add water to just cover the peas. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat and throw in coriander. There is no need to chop as you are going to blend.
Using a hand blender, blend the soup until smooth in the pan. To avoid splashing the hot liquid, make sure the blender is touching the bottom of the pan. It may take longer than other soups to get smooth because of the pea skins, but it should become smooth and kermit coloured eventually.