Peasant Pottage

(SERVES 6)

• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 1 small red (bell) pepper, finely chopped
• 25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp low-fat spread
• 100 g/4 oz French (green) beans, cut into quarters
• 2 tomatoes, skinned and chopped ¼ green cabbage, finely shredded
• 400 g/14 oz/1 large can chick peas (garbanzos) drained
• 1 litre /1 ¾ pts / 4 ¼ cups vegetable stock, made with 2 stock cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 45 ml/3 tbsp grated low-fat
• Cheddar cheese

Fry (sauté) the onions, carrots and pepper in the low-fat spread for 2 minutes, stirring. Add all the remaining ingredients except the cheese, bring to the boil, reduce the heat, part-cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Taste and re-season if necessary. Ladle into warmed bowls and sprinkle a little of the cheddar cheese over each serving.