I agree completely with Tessa and the others - what rotten people and certainly not the good influences you want around you while you lose weight!
And well done OH for getting you the soup maker, here's one of my favs -
Summer Salad Vegetable Soup
Serves 4 Calories per serving: 129 - less than this because they put a tbsp oil in and I leave it out
Ingredients:
250g/ 9oz courgettes/ zucchini
chopped 250g/ 9oz fresh peas
125g/ 4oz chard
chopped 1 small bunch spring onions/ scallions
chopped 2 celery stalks
chopped 1 fennel bulb (aprox 250g)
chopped 1 romaine lettuce, shredded
750ml/ 3 cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp freshly chopped garden herbs (parsley, basil & mint is a good combination)
Salt & pepper to taste
Method: * Choose your preferred blend function, if required. Otherwise decide on your consistency at the end of cooking and then blend. * If your soup maker has a browning function, add the olive oil and onions first and leave to brown for a few minutes. Add all the ingredients, except the shredded lettuce, to the soup maker. Cover and leave to cook on high for 40 minutes. Ensure all the ingredients are well combined , tender and piping hot. Blend to your preferred consistency.
Actually what I do is chuck it all in and turn it on