Winter is the time for soups, and a creamy soup is just what you need sometimes – think cream of chicken, leek and potato, cauliflower or cream of mushroom soup. Of course the obvious thing is to add cream, or stir in a roux of flour and butter – delicious but for those watching calories or who have a dairy or gluten intolerance, there are some great alternatives.

1.   Stir in a tablespoon of almond or cashew butter. This will add a creamy depth to your soup. Of course this is not recommended for those with nut allergies.

2.   Add a cup of beans, chickpeas or lentils to your soup. They act as a natural thickener and give a hearty richness. Yellow split peas will reduce to a nice thick consistency and are good in light-coloured soups like chicken.

3.   Add a few potatoes to your soup and them mash some or all of them into the soup at the end. If you want a fully-puréed soup, use a stick blender to reach your desired consistency.

4.   Many veggies will blend up to a wonderful creamy consistency all on their own without the need to add anything to thicken them or make them creamy – cauliflower and pumpkin especially.

5.   Cow’s milk alternatives such as coconut cream or nut milks can give a creamy finish also.