Tucking into the broccoli was a dream.

Three carrots, one potato and a scotch bonnet chilli. The ends should be removed from the carrots and washed them, then peel the potato finely. Grate the carrots and the potato and remove tha seeds from the scotch bonnet chilli. (Please be very very careful with chillies and particularly this type). Then place the grated potato and carrot and chilli with a pinch of salt and a sprinkling of ground black pepper 1/4 teasponful, into a saucepan with 3 and a half large mugs of water. Bring to the boil and simmer on a low to medium heat for at least an hour until the liquid is reduced. Half way, add two large squashed (with the back of a knife) roughly roughly chopped cloves of garlic. As my blender typically wasn't working i used a potato masher to mash the ingredients into more or a soupy consistency (bottom photo). I had thought of the cauliflower also but changed my mind and decided to go for a medium sized broccolli instead so i put it, into the steamer. I added some of most of the broccolli stalks (though removed) because i think they are very tasty too.

With the broccoli almost cooked and having left the soup in the pan to cool i waited. I wanted to blend it so fine almost watery but i couldn't without a blender and have/ drink the soup as a cold soup. But it actually turned out fine anyway.

It was a little like eating a curry but not quite.

The hotness of the carrot soup had a very subdued intensity about it.

I'd added one chopped tomato to give the saltiness which i thought the soup lacked but it proved to be a welcome accompaniment and on a scale of 1-5, 4 great on the palette. As i couldn't do the soup as a fine liquid i might have liked to add some kind of wheat product (during cooking) but no more than 4 tablespoonfuls (reasonable) which i would reduce to two tablespoonfuls if dieting. If wheat intollerant fine without and if not dieting add a couple of extra chopped potatoes.

The plate (above) is a regular sized dinner plate and it may look a lot for a meal. And if you've only had an apple for breakfast and no snacks

during the day i could agree. It was one of those meals which hit you. A real hit.

By day 59 i had lost 24lbs.

Yes there had been the odd mis-hap/ the odd pound put on again/

Do not worry!