Soup by accident

Every wednesday I make a big vat of soup, because an unspecified number of people turn up for lunch. As I generally go shopping on wednesdays, this is a true make-do-with-what-you've-got/don't-waste-old-veggies soup. This week's was really yummy, so here's the recipe below. I didn't use any stock because I didn't have any, hence why I sweated out the celery with the onions and garlic (along with using lemon juice or balsamic vinegar depending on your other ingredients, this is my top tip for bringing out flavour). I figured chilli and coconut would give it a full enough flavour on top of that, and I was right!

1 large onion, chopped
few cloves garlic, finely chopped/crushed
a few sticks of celery, chopped

a bit of butter
2 carrots, chopped
1 large parsnip, chopped
handful red lentils
1 big potato chopped
chilli sauce

creamed coconut

salt/pepper/lemon juice

Sweat out the onion, garlic and celery in the butter.  Simmer the whole lot together (I leave soup in the slow cooker on high for a morning) and whiz (I mean use one of those hand-held food processors- I'm aware that in various parts of the country this word means pee).  Technically I suppose you should put your creamed coconut and seasoning in last. 

And before anyone accuses me of not being thrifty because I use creamed coconut, I buy it from the chinese supermarket where it's 40p a packet.  I think I only use about a 1/3 of a packet in this.  So ner.