White velvet soup with smoky almonds

Try a healthy twist on classic comfort food with this silky veggie soup, topped with almonds. It’s low in fat and calories but packed full of flavour

2 tsp rapeseed oil
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
2 leeks, trimmed so they’re mostly white in colour, washed well, then sliced (about 240g)
200g cauliflower, chopped
2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
400g cannellini beans, rinsed
fresh nutmeg, for grating
100ml whole milk
25g whole almonds, chopped
½ tsp smoked paprika
2 x 25g slices rye bread, to serve

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the garlic, leeks and cauliflower and cook for about 5 mins, stirring frequently, until starting to soften (but not colouring).
Stir in the vegetable bouillon and beans, pour in 600ml boiling water and add a few generous gratings of the nutmeg. Cover and leave to simmer for 15 mins until the leeks and cauliflower are tender. Add the milk and blitz with a hand blender until smooth and creamy.
Put the almonds in a dry pan and cook very gently for 1 min, or until toasted, then remove from the heat. Scatter the paprika over the almonds and mix well. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with the spicy nuts and serve with the rye bread.