"I don’t care what people say: it is completely possible to be a tomboy and a girly girl." says gluten-free foodie Finn Ní Fhaoláin.

I love this soup, as it reminds me of the Barbie pink of my little girl days – when you could find me up a tree, covered in mud, in a pink dress with frilly white socks and little patent leather shoes. The decadent shade of this soup comes from fresh beetroots, and you might want to wear gloves while you prep them so you don’t look like an NCIS extra. Also, I implore you, please, please, please don’t use cooked vacuum-packed beets – they just aren’t the same! Makes enough for five neon-coloured lunches 3 uncooked beetroots 6 carrots 1 red onion 2 sticks celery – nick the top and bottom and do your best to pull out the stringy bits, which are not nice in smooth soups olive oil 400g tinned mixed beans, drained and rinsed – this thickens the soup like potato but adds a little more protein 4 cups (940ml) GF vegetable stock salt and pepper to taste Method Peel the beetroot. You might want to wear rubber gloves and use a non-favourite plastic chopping board for this, as it can be pretty messy. Roughly chop the beetroot, carrots, onion and celery. Put a good, large non-stick pot on a medium-high heat. When it’s hot, lash in a glug of olive oil and chuck all of the veggies in. That’s right – all of them. No fancy sautéing. Cover with a lid and let them steam away to their hearts’ content. If after 10 minutes it’s freaking you out a bit that you’re not doing anything, give it a little stir. Reduce the heat a bit and cover again. Let the veggies hang out this way for about 30 minutes. When the veggies are soft, lash in the beans, water and stock. Cook away for about 10 minutes. Take off the heat, blend with a hand blender and season to taste! To Serve This awesomely bright soup is lovely with a dollop of crème fraiche and a bit of greenery on top – I tend to use parsley. Finn Ní Fhaoláin’s food journey began when she was diagnosed as a coeliac and became determined to recreate all her favourite dishes - this time without gluten. She lives, surfs and cooks in Bundoran on Ireland’s northwest coast. Her brand new book, Finn's World is packed with incredible recipes such as Danish Breakfast Brød, Mother Hubbard’s Bare Cupboard Granola, Moroccan Surfer’s Breakfast and Disco Barbie Beetroot Soup.