There is nothing I love more than 5-minute meal!

... Actually I change my mind, there's nothing a love more than a 5-minute dessert but let's not get distracted... here we're talking five minute meals of the savoury variety! (Note: sometimes I do have a dessert as a meal)

I love a good dip with raw veggies, and I'm often to be found whipping up a batch at a moments notice. Now I've discovered that with just an extra couple of minutes work you have yourself a bowl of thick hot luxurious soup! The day after taking these photos I made the soup again (more dip leftovers) and added turmeric (to heal my sore gym muscles), and spinach. Its a 'throw in whatever you fancy' deal.

Yay for five minutes!

Yay for plant protein power!

Yay for warming soups and noodles!

Just so you know the soup came about as I made ridiculously large batch of the dip (for a gathering I'd overestimated) and figured I wouldn't get through fast enough just as a dip, so why not make a double batch and have it both ways. 

For extra inspiration see the posts below for ways I've used the dip.

Recipe: peas and beans soup

Makes 1 bowl of dip and 2-3 servings of soup (depending on thickness and mix-ins)

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 ½ cups frozen peas (thawed)
• 1 cup cooked/canned white beans
• A few green jalapeno peppers (optional)
• 2 tbs fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ red onion finely chopped
• 2 tbs coriander or mint (i added fresh mint this time at the end)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Extras to make into soup: 

• 1 cup boiling water 
• approx. 1/2 cup or more quick cook GF noodles (I used buckwheat)
• 1 tsp ground turmeric (optional) 
• 1 cup spinach (optional) 

Method

Pour the boiling water in a smallish pan and add the noodles and turmeric, simmer for the required time till cooked (mine took 3 minutes)

Meanwhile, blend all the dip ingredients in food processor until fairly smooth.  Add to the water and cooked noodles and mix to heat through- add a little more boiling water to reach desired thickness. Mix through the spinach for a minute until wilted and garnish with fresh mint, salt and pepper to serve.