Creating a lovely pot of warming soup when the weather is becoming colder can restore your well-being.
Winter coughs and colds are best avoided by prevention, and the way to do this is by including all of the essential antioxidants, such as vitamins A and C, in your diet.
The key to boosting your immune system is to incorporate a colourful range of vegetables, such as red peppers, carrots, celery, tomatoes, onion and garlic, packed with all of the natural ingredients which your body needs.  Add in pasta and you have the perfect high-energy, healthy soup, the perfect satisfying meal for a cold winter evening.
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 large courgettes, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 large organic tomatoes, skinned and chopped
2 large red peppers, de-seeded and sliced
1 litre vegetable stock
100 grams fusilli pasta
Handful of chopped fresh parsley
Sea salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
Method
Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and sauté the shallots and garlic until transparent and soft.
Add the carrots, celery and courgettes and sauté for a few minutes then add the sliced peppers, stirring gently.
Add the tinned tomatoes, chopped fresh tomatoes and combine all the ingredients. Stir in the vegetable stock, bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a slow simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the pasta and continue simmering on a low heat until the pasta is soft.
Season to taste, sprinkle over the chopped, fresh parsley and serve immediately.