Springtime Stew with Celeriac Puree

So the low cal diet plan got a little interrupted with last minute dinner guests. I had to change tack and carb things out a little, simply to make the veggies go further. Last night I picked up where I left off with this veg laden, lighter version of a stew. Instead of the traditional mashed potato, rice or cous cous accompaniment, I went for celeriac. It's lighter tasting and much lower in calories than potatoes.

Ingredients:

For the stew...

low fat cooking spray

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 leek, finely sliced

1 large carrot, cut lengthwise and chopped

1 red capsicum, chopped

1 small eggplant, diced

1/4 head of broccoli, chopped into small florets

1 courgette, sliced lengthwise and chopped into chunks

1 tin cannellini beans

1 Tbs tomato paste

1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1/2 Tbs vegetarian gravy granules

1 tsp brown sugar

1/2 c water

1/4 c red wine

1 Tbs nutritional yeast

20 fresh basil leaves, chopped

A handful of fresh parsley, chopped

For the puree...

1 celeriac, chopped into big pieces

1/2 tsp celery salt

Black pepper

To make:

1) In a large pot, heat some low fat cooking spray and add the onions. Cook for 2 minutes before adding the garlic and cooking for another minute. Add the leek, salt, pepper and celery salt and stir well, then cook for another 2 minutes.

2) Add the rest of the vegetables (except the beans) and cook, stirring every now and then for 8 minutes, then turn the heat down, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

3) While the stew is cooking, boil the celeriac in plenty of water until soft (about 10 minutes).

4) In a small bowl, mix together the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, gravy granules, sugar, water and wine. Add this to the vegetables with the nutritional yeast and cannellini beans and mix well, then cover and cook for 10-15 minutes (until all veggies are tender), adding the fresh herbs 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

5) Puree the celeriac with a stick blender and spoon onto plates. Serve the stew over the puree.

Serves 2 to 3.

Virtuous Veggie Stir Fry

After a weekend in Barcelona, a birthday to celebrate and general summer socialising, this week calls for a low carb, low cal dinner menu.

Starting as I mean to go on, Mnday's meal was this vege packed stir fry. It has a light but tasty flavour, with the added health benefits of miso. Miso has a fairly strong flavour but is a really delicious addition to soups, stir fries, stews etc. The thing to remember with Miso is that it contains good bacteria, so it needs to be added at the end of cooking when it won't be heated for too long - or you'll kill said bacteria.

I've not been too specific on times for this one, as it does depend on how well done you like your vegetables.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 large onion, sliced

6 vegetarian sausages, cut into strips

1 large carrot, sliced into thin batons

1 medium head of broccoli, cut into small florets

1 yellow capsicum, thinly sliced

1 large courgette, cut into rounds

Handful of green beans

4 medium mushrooms, sliced

Handful of mangetout

Small handful coriander, chopped

For the sauce..

1 Tbs soy sauce

1 Tbs rice vinegar

1 tsp honey

2 Tbs water

1/2 Tbs lemon juice

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 Tbs chopped fresh ginger

For the miso mix...

1 Tbs miso paste

1 Tbs water

To make:

1) Start by mixing the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, and the miso and water in another bowl.

1) Heat a few sprays of cooking spray in a wok over a medium heat and add the onions. Stir fry for about 2 minutes and then add the vege sausages. Stir fry this for about 2-3 minutes until everything begins to colour.

2) Add the carrots and stir for about 2 minutes, then add the broccoli and capsicum, cook for 2 minutes. Add the courgette and sauce and stir well.

3) Add the green beans and mushrooms to the pan and stir until the mushrooms begin to soften.

4) Turn the heat up to high and add the mangetout and coriander with the miso mix. Stir quickly until the liquid reduces (only about 1 minute).

Serves 3 (or 2, including 1 hungry, post-gym boy).

Carrot, Coriander and Chickpea Koftas

Our flat happens to be situated above an exceptionally good Indian takeaway shop. Sometimes the scent is just too much when coming home from a long day at work. Today was one such day, so I set about creating an Indian inspired feast of my own. These koftas have been forming in my mind for a while, so I was more than happy to put them into practice.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 onion, finely sliced

1 tsp garam masala

1 clove garlic

4 medium carrots, grated

1/2 tin of chickpeas, lightly mashed

A good handful of fresh coriander, chopped

2 tsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

3 Tbs chickpea flour, plus extra for rolling

To make:

1) Turn the oven to 200°c and line and oven tray with foil. Spray with cooking spray.

2) In a mortar and pestle, grind the cumin and coriander seeds. Warm a small pan over a medium heat, spray some cooking spray and then add the ground seeds. Cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes until aromatic.

3) Add the onion and stir for 2 minutes before mixing in the garlic and the rest of the spices. Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft.

4) Add the grated carrot and stir well to combine, then cover and leave to cook for about 5-10 minutes until the carrot is very soft.

5) Tip into a bowl and add the chick peas, coriander, lemon juice and salt to taste. Then stir in the flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.

6) Shape into balls and roll in some flour. Place on the baking tray and cook for 20 minutes, turning once at about 12 minutes. Serve as part of an Indian meal with chutney and plain soy yoghurt.

Makes 6.

Ottelenghi's Multi-vegetable Paella

Straight from the pages of my treasured Ottolenghi recipe book 'Plenty', this was my second ever attempt at paella and by far the best of the two. The trick with paella is to leave it well alone while the rice cooks. A hard task, but it just won't work properly if you insist on stirring.

You could substitute the veggies for what is in season, I had a delicious paella the other day with big chunks of butternut squash and eggplant. Delicious.

Also note - while saffron is expensive, a little goes a long way and it makes all the difference to both the look and taste of the dish.

Ingredients:

A drizzle of olive oil

2 small shallots, sliced

1 small red and 1 small yellow capsicum, cut into strips

1/2 fennel bulb, cut into very thin strips

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 bay leaves

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp chilli powder

150g paella rice

100ml sweet or medium sherry

A good pinch of saffron threads

450ml boiling veg stock

A pinch of salt

200g shelled broad beans (frozen are fine)

10 mini plum (or cheery) tomatoes, halved

5 small grilled artichokes in oil (from a jar) drained and quartered

12 pitted Kalamata olives, roughly crushed

2 Tbs roughly chopped parsley

To serve...

Lemon wedges and salt

To make:

1) Heat the olive in a large, shallow frying pan and gently fry the onions for about 5 minutes, stirring. Add the capsicums and fennel, continue to fry for about 6 minutes until the veges arte soft and the onions golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

2) Add the bay leaves, paprika, turmeric and chilli powder and stir well. Then add the rice and stir well for 2 minutes (you really want to get all the rice coated in the flavours) then pour in the sherry and sprinkle the saffron in.

3) Boil down for a minute, then pour in the stock and pinch of salt. Turn the heat down to the minimum and let it gently simmer for about 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. DO NOT cover or stir during this time.

4) While you leave the rice to cook, keep yourself busy by pouring plenty of boiling water over the broad beans in a bowl and leave them for a minute or two. Drain and leave to cool, then when cool enough to handle, squeeze each bean until it pops out of the skin. Discard the skins.

5) Take the paella off the heat and taste - add more salt if needed, but try not to stir the mix. Scatter the tomatoes, artichokes and broad beans over the rice and cover with a lid or foil. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.

6) Remove the covering, scatter over the olives and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Serves 2 very well.

Zingy Wild Rice and Roast Veg Salad

My very first foray into cooking wild rice.

Not only does it look amazing, but the taste and texture add another dimension to your standard image of rice. The flavour is somewhat nutty and the texture is slightly crunchy/chewy on the outside, yet soft in the middle. Very different from you standard rice and this is probably because wild rice is actually an aquatic grass. It is packed full of nutrients and contains folic acid, B vitamins and protein.

Wild rice freezes well once cooked, so cook up the whole packet and freeze in single portions for easy lunches.

This recipe was a bit of an experiment and I took the flavour ideas from the many grain salads that I have cooked over the years. Black rice would also work exceptionally well with seafood and oriental flavours.

Ingredients:

125g wild rice

low fat cooking spray

1/4 butternut, peeled and chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into batons

1 red onion, cut into wedges

1 red capsicum, sliced

1 courgette, sliced

Salt and pepper

1/2 bunch of corriander, roughly chopped

1 satsuma, chopped into small pieces

1 Tbs each of pumpkin and sesame seeds

For the dressing...

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 Tbs tahini

2 Tbs lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp crushed hot chilli

Juice and zest of 1 satsuma

Some water to thin the dressing as you go

Salt

1) Cook the rice according to the packet instructions - it will generally take 50-60 minutes.

2) Turn the oven to 200°c, or gas mark 6. Spray the cooking spray into a foil lined tin and add all the vegetables, sprinkling with salt and pepper. Roast them in the oven for about 45-50 minutes until tender, stirring around a couple of times.

3) To make the dressing, mix the garlic, tahini and lemon juice together with a fork. Add the chilli and a good pinch of salt and then add a little warm water (about a Tbs at a time) until you get a dressing like consistency. Don't add to much at a time because it quickly goes from too thick to too thin. Stir in the zests and set aside.

4) In a small, oil free pan, toast the seeds over a low heat and stir every few minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they'll burn easily. They'll take about 15 minutes and the pumpkin seeds will start to burst their little green skins when done. Again, set these aside.

5) When cooked, drain the rice and allow it to cool a little. Take the orast veggies out of the oven. Put the cooled rice in a large bowl with the corriander and satsuma flesh and pour half the dressing in, mixing well. Add the roast vegetables, mix well together and then pour over the rest of the dressing and mix everything again.

6) Serve scattered with the toasted seeds.

Serves 2-3.

Indulgent Banana-Chocolate Crumbles

I don't think banana is used enough in desserts. Yes, cakes and breads, but not so much in the actual dessert category. Mixing the banana with dark chocolate makes a really smooth filling that sets well. I think it would be delicious used to sandwich layer cakes together.

The base crumble isn't overly sweet - you could add sugar if you like, but the banana contributes such a lovely sweetness (very important to use a really ripe one) that I really don't think sugar is necessary.

For how naughty these taste, they are actually rather healthy.

Ingredients:

75g wholemeal flour

75g rolled oats

40g dairy free margarine

1/4 c barley malt

1 large banana, mashed

60g dairy free dark chocolate, melted

To make:

1) Turn the oven to 180°c, gas mark 4 and prepare 5 silicone muffin moulds or small ramekins.

2) Combine the flour and oats in a bowl and rub the margarine in so it is evenly distributed. Spoon in the barley malt and mix initially with a spoon, but then with your hands to ensure it's well mixed in.

3) Use 2/3 of the mix to press into the bottom of each mould as the base.

4) Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave on medium low (keep an eye on it, but about 2-3 minutes) and while it's melting, mash the banana. When the chocolate is smooth, add the banana to it and mix well with a fork. Spoon an even amount of this mix over each base and level it gently with the spoon. Sprinkle some of the remaining oat mix over each one.

5) Bake for 15 minutes then remove from the oven and leave to cool completely. Serve with dairy free vanilla yoghurt or ice cream.

Note: Kept in the fridge, these make a delicious cereal bar substitute. Just make sure you keep them cool until eating or the chocolate and banana will melt everwhere...mmmm

Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Spinach Curry

A tasty veggie curry with lots of aromatic, earthy flavours. The sweetness of the potato really compliments the rest of the flavours. You could easily use butternut squash if you wanted to.

Ingredients:

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (cook for 3 min on high in the microwave to speed up cooking time)

1 Tbs tahini

2 Tbs tomato paste

2 tsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp curry powder (use whichever heat you prefer, I used medium)

1 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp brown sugar

6 Tbs hot water

50g green beans, trimmed and chopped

6 mushrooms, chopped

1 cup water

150g fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

1 tin chickpeas, drained

2 Tbs fresh coriander, chopped

1 tsp Nigella seeds

To serve...

Rice

Pita or naan bread

Chutney

Plain soy yoghurt

To make:

1) Spray a large saucepan with low fat cooking spray and put over a medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Add the sweet potato and cover, cook for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

2) In a small bowl, mix together the tahini, tomato paste, lemon juice, curry powder, garam masala, salt, ginger, cinnamon, paprika, and brown sugar. Gradually add the hot water, stirring.

3) Add the mix to the sweet potato and onion mix, recover and cook for another 10 minutes, checking every few minutes and stirring in the water gradually as the sauce reduces.

4) Add the beans and mushrooms and cover again, cooking for 3 minutes. Then add the chickpeas and spinach and cook for 3 minutes, until the spinach is well wilted.

5) Mix in the coriander and turn off the heat. Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with the Nigella seeds. Serve with rice, breads, yoghurt and chutney.

Serves 4.

Tofu, Quinoa and Mango salad

This dish takes its inspiration from a Marks and Spencer crayfish salad that really isn't similar in any way, except for the use of mango. I used to think that mixing fruit with savoury dishes was an abomination, but done with the right flavours, it can be a match made in heaven.

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is an exceptionally nutritious grain and contains all 9 amino acids to make it a complete protein. The tofu adds an extra proteinous boost.

This would be great as a summer meal; there are lots of flavours and textures working together here, and they do get on rather nicely.

Ingredients:

For the tofu...

400g block tofu, diced

soy sauce

juice of 1/4 lemon

heaped teaspoon of crushed garlic

1cm grated ginger

For the dressing...

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 tsp crushed hot chili

1/2 tsp tamari soy sauce

1/2 Tbs rice vinegar

1 Tbs sweet chili sauce

1/2 Tbs water

2 Tbs fresh, chopped coriander

1/8 tsp brown sugar

And the rest...

1/2 c quinoa

50g mangetout, cut in half

1/2 small head of broccoli, cut into small florets

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 small iceberg lettuce, shredded

1/2 mango, cut into small pieces

1/2 avocado, diced

1/4 bunch fresh coriander

To serve:

Fresh coriander, chopped

Lemon wedges

To make:

1) Put all the tofu into a shallow bowl and drizzle with soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic and ginger. Cover and refrigerate to marinate overnight or for at least an hour.

2) Turn the oven to gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with tin foil and spray with cooking spray. Put it into the oven to heat up for a couple of minutes, then lay the tofu evenly out on it. Put in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, turning once.

3) Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together and set aside.

4) Put the quinoa in a small pot with 1 and a half cups of water. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the quinoa is cooked and the water absorbed.

5) Put the hot quinoa into a large bowl and mix in half the dressing. Leave it to sit while you blanch the broccoli for 3 minutes and the the mangetout for 1 minute.

6) To the quinoa, add the red onion, lettuce and coriander. Mix well. Next add the mango and slightly cooled broccoli and mangetout. Add the avocado last, gently stirring through with the remaining dressing.

7) Sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Serves 2.

Moroccan Chickpea Bites

This is so simple to put together, it takes almost no time and makes a great starter. You could make the patties large and serve as a main course. If you are having people over, make the mix the night before and simply shape them and put in the oven before your guests arrive.

Ingredients:

400g can chickpeas, drained

1 small courgette, finely grated

1/8 of a red onion, finely chopped

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 tsp dried mint

1/2 tsp Moroccan seasoning (or 1/4 tsp each of ground cumin and coriander)

juice of 1/4 lemon

salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

Chopped fresh coriander

Good quality fresh tomato salsa

To Make:

1)Heat the oven to 190°c or gas mark 5.

2)Put the chickpeas in a food processor and blend until smooth and paste like.

3)Turn the chickpeas into a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, then mix well and season to taste.

4)Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours or overnight.

5)Shape into small patties and bake for 20 minutes, turning the patties half way through.

Serve sprinkled with the coriander and the fresh salsa on the side.

Creamy Celery and Celeriac Soup

This soup is a dieter's dream when trying to shed a few of those Xmas pounds. It is so creamy, that it's hard to believe it's just veg. Plus it's super easy to make.

This was originally a Weight Watchers' recipe that has evolved a little over time.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 large onion, diced

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp celery salt

ground pepper

1 large celeriac, diced

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 stock cube

1L boiling water

1 bay leaf

To make:

1)Cook the onion over a medium low heat with some cooking spray for about 5 minutes, until soft but not brown. Add the garlic, celery salt and pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.

2)Add celery, celeriac, bay leaf and stir together, then crumble in the stock cube and pour in the water.

3)Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until veggies are really soft.

4)Remove the bay leaf, pour soup into a blender and give it a really good blend so it's very smooth.

Serves 4

Chunky Veg Soup

Don't let the long list of ingredients put you off this filling, hearty, chunky and healthy veggie soup/stew (I use the / as it's very, very chunky) is a delicious winter warmer and once you've done the chopping, it's just a matter of adding.

The sweet potato and capsicum impart a lovely sweetness that counters the acidity of the tomatoes.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 meduim carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp celery salt

1/2 Tbs thyme

1 bayleaf

1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped

1 Tbs tomato paste

1 Tbs soy sauce

1 stock cube

100g lentils verte, washed and pre-cooked for 10 min in the microwave (just cover with water and cook on high)

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 L boiling water

1 yellow capsicum, chopped

1 courgette, chopped

2 handfuls of mini pasta shapes (note the heart shaped pasta in the pic - a gift from my sister's recent trip to Italy)

1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

handful torn basil

To make:

1) Heat some cooking spray in a pot over a medium heat and add in the onions. Stir fry for 3minutes and then add garlic and stir.

2)Put the carrots, celery, salt, pepper, celery salt, bayleaf and thyme and stir for 3 minutes.

3) Then add sweet potato, tomato paste, soy sauce and crumble in the stock cube, mix well.

4) Then add the lentils and tomatoes and stir well to get everything mixed before pouring in the water. Bring to the boil then turn down, cover and leave to simmer for 20 minuites.

5) Add the yellow capsicum and let that cook for 15 minutes before adding the courgettes, pasta and vinegar. Turn up the heat and cook for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is done (it will take longer than the packet instructions to cook as it's in with everything else).

6) Just before serving add the torn basil.

Serves 4.

This is very satisfying and delicious with crusty white bread, or on its own.

Pure pesto with pasta

A result of having broccoli, courgettes and not much else in the fridge - this pesto is so easy to throw together and still has an intense, pesto-ey flavour without the masses of oil. You could sprinkle with toasted pinenuts before serving for a tasty final touch.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 head broccoli, chopped into small florets

Juice of 1/4 lemon

Salt & pepper

2 courgettes, grated

1 tsp crushed chili

2 Tbs nutritional yeast

1/4 c soy milk

Handful fresh basil, torn

Cooked, drained spaghetti of your choice (I used wholewheat)

To make:

1) Spray some cooking spray to a pan over a medium heat and cook onions for 2-3 minutes, then add garlic and cook onions until translucent.

2) Add the broccoli and cover, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the broccoli is very soft. Mix in the lemon juice and seasoning.

3) Put this all into a food processor and blend until smooth. Put aside.

4) Rinse the pan, put it over a medium heat and use a little more cooking spray. Tip in the courgettes and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes, until soft.

5) Scrape the blended mix into the courgettes and stir in chilli and nutritional yeast, then gradually add milk, stirring until you achieve a smooth consistency.

6) Just before turning off the heat, stir in the basil.

7)Pour over drained pasta and mix through until all strands are coated. Garnish each serving with a few basil leaves.

Makes enough for pasta for about 4 people.

NB. As this isn't made with oil like normal pesto, it won't keep for longer than a few days.

Bean, Basil and Tomato Hotpot

Incredibly easy to make and very warming and satisfying, this bean, basil and tomato hotpot is a winner for a weekend brunch or easy supper.

Ingredients:

low fat cooking spray

1 meduim onion, sliced

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 Tbs tomato paste

salt and pepper

1 tsp dried Italian herbs

1/2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tin butterbeans

handful fresh basil, chopped

To make:

1) Add some low fat cooking spray to the frying pan over a medium heat. Put onions to the pan, and cook stirring until they start to turn translucent. Add garlic and cook, stirring for another minute.

2) Mix in the tomato paste, seasoning, herbs and vinegar then pour in just a little water to deglaze the pan and stir well. Pour in the tomatoes and add the sugar. Let it cook at a fast simmer for about 5 minutes, then add the beans and leave to cook for another 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes until it begins to reduce.

3) Take off the heat and mix in most of the basil, keeping some back for garnishing.

4) Serve sprinkled with basil and with toast, pita bread or ciabatta.

Serves 2.

Note: For variation you could add in different ingredients like mushrooms (add them just before the tomatoes), spiced sausage (to meat it up, add these at the same time as the onion), crumbled feta (at the same time as the basil).

Creamy Butternut Squash and Spinach Soup

A creamy soup with subtle flavours and a protein boost from the tofu.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 medium potato, cubed

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp chilli power (mild, as I am a bit of a wuss)

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 litre of veg stock

1 pack of silken tofu (firm)

200g baby spinach, chopped

To make:

1) Boil the butternut until tender, drain and reserve the water to use as part of the stock.

2) Put some cooking spray in a pot and add onion, cook 2 minutes and add garlic. Cook, stirring, for a further 3 minutes.

3) Add potato and all seasoning. Cook for about 3 minutes, then add the stock, bring to the boil and turn down to simmer. Cook about 15 minutes until the potato is tender.

4) While that is simmering, combine the butternut squash and tofu in a bowl, then blend or whisk until smooth.

5) When the potato is cooked, blend the mixture. Add this gradually to the tofu mix, stirring to combine, then blend the mix.

6) Put soup back in the pot, reheat and add the spinach. Cook another few minutes until spinach is wilted. Serve garnished with some baby spinach leaves.

Serves 4.

Carrot, Corriander and Split Pea Soup

Earthy and really satisfying, this soup takes a while to cook, but not long to actually prepare. You can put it on a leave it to simmer while you get on with anything else. It has a fair amount of spice, but is by no means hot, just nice and aromatic.

Ingredients:

Oil or low fat cooking spray

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

450g carrots, peeled and chopped

150g yellow split peas, rinsed and drained

Salt and pepper

2 tsp ground corriander

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1 litre vegetable stock

fresh corriander to serve

To make:

1) Spray the cooking spray into a pot and add onion. Cook 2 minutes and add garlic. Cook a further minute and add carrots. Cook 4 minutes, stirring.

2) Add in the split peas and spices and mix together. Pour in the stock, then bring soup to the boil, turn down and simmer.

3) Cook for about 25 minutes until split peas are soft. Add to blender and puree.

4) Serve topped with corriander and paprika.

Serves 3.

Risotto Soup

Inspired by ingredients in my fridge and the favourite Italian rice dish, this is a really hearty soup that satisfies the tummy and the soul.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 large leek, sliced

2 large garlic cloves, crushed with the back of a knife and chopped (this helps to release the flavour)

1 celery stick, sliced

salt and pepper

1 tsp celery salt

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 bay leaf

1/2 a large courgette, diced

1/2 a head of broccoli cut into small florets

a good sprinkle of nutmeg

8ooml veggie stock

1 cup frozen peas, defrosted

1/2 cup Arborio rice, rinsed well and drained

Handful of fresh parsley and basil, finely chopped

Parmesan ans some basil leaves to serve if desired

To make:

1) Spray some cooking spray into a large pot over a medium-low heat, add onions and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring until they turn translucent.

2) Add the leek, garlic and celery with salt, pepper, celery salt, bay leaf and lemon juice and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Add the broccoli and courgette with the nutmeg, stir together to combine flavours.

3) Add the stock, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for about 10-15 mins until all the veggies are soft.

4) Put soup in a blender with half of the peas and blend until smooth.

5) Return to the pot, add the rice and bring to the boil. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure rice doesn't stick. The mix will thicken due to the starch in the rice, so add boiling water, a bit at a time, when it's getting too thick.

6) Turn the heat down, cover and simmer a further 10 minutes, making sure the rice is cooked. Take off the heat and add remaining peas as well as the mixed parsley and basil leaves and stir together. Add more boiling water if it's too thick.

7) Served garnished with basil leaves, black pepper and some parmesan curls for those who eat dairy.

Makes 4 very good sized servings.

Leek and Butterbean Soup

Sainsbury's had 2 for one on leeks this week, so it would have been rude not to get the second bag and this soup is the result. This light soup has the lovely sweet flavour of the leeks and butterbeans and is super healthy. The nutmeg adds a subtle earthy hint - you can add more nutmeg if you wish, but add a little at a time because it is a very strong flavour.

Ingredients:

non stick cooking spray

3 celery sticks, chopped

500g trimmed leeks, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, peeled and roughly crushed with the back of a knife

salt

pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 bay leaf

1 veggie stock cube

800ml boiling water

1 400g tin butterbeans

To make:

1) Spray cooking spray into a pot over a medium heat. Add celery, leeks and cook for 2 minutes, then add garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg and bayleaf. Cook covered for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the leeks and celery are soft.

2) Crumble a stock cube over the veggies, and stir to mix together. Then pour water over the top, stir, cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) Add the tin of beans and cook a further 5 mins.

4) Put the soup in a blender or use a hand held blender, and blend until smooth.

5) Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired, then pour into bowls.

6) Swirl a little soy milk or yoghurt through each bowl, and add a sprig of parsley and freshly ground pepper.

7) Serve with fresh crusty bread rolls (I had a very domestic moment and made poppyseed rolls to accompany).

Leeks have the same health benefits of onions, just in slightly smaller quantities. They are great for winter as they have antibacterial properties and help to fight colds. They also contain vitamins C and E. (Nutritional reference from Complete Vegetarian; Nicola Graimes (ed); 2009).

Cauliflower and Parsnip Soup

This soup is the result of my love for cauliflower, the fact that it's really high in vitamin C (and I have a cold) and the lack of cauli recipes out there, save the cheese variety. I thought I'd give it a go and the result was a really creamy texture and taste, with a very flavoursome topping that contrasts well with the subtle cauliflower.

All the soup ingredients are white to keep the colour, so I avoided even pepper and stock and made sure that nothing coloured in the pan - so a low heat in the initial stages is essential.

Ingredients:

for the soup:

Low fat cooking spray

1 onion, chopped

1 tsp crushed garlic

Salt

3 small parsnips, peeled and chopped

1 medium - large head of cauliflower, chopped and any brown bits discarded

1 bayleaf

1 litre of boiling water

for the topping:

Low fat cooking spray

1/2 a small leek (the green end), sliced

6 mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp chilli ( I used the prepared stuff in a tube as it has all the juices t permeate)

1 tsp lemon juice

salt and pepper

2 large sundried tomatoes

Handful of rocket

Paprika

Freshly ground black pepper

Parsley to serve

To make:

1) Heat a pan over a low heat with some cooking spray and add the onions. Cook them very gently and stir constantly to stop them browning. When translucent, add the garlic and salt and a little water to stop sticking.

2) Add cauliflower and the bayleaf and the rest of the water. Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for half an hour to make sure everything is really soft.

3) Blend the soup in a blender until smooth, return to the pan and keep on a very low heat, stirring every now and again.

4) Add leeks to a small frying pan with a little cooking spray and stir fry until cooked. Add mushrooms, chilli, lemon juice and seasoning, and stir fry until the mushrooms are browning. Add the sundried tomatoes and rocket and toss until combined and the rocket has wilted.

4) Pour soup into bowls and sprinkle with paprika, place some of the topping on top of each bowl and finish with freshly ground black pepper and parsley.

Served 2/3

Sweet Potato and Bean Soup

This recipe is ridiculously easy to make. I wanted to make muffins as well this evening, so made a dinner that could literally just be thrown together and left.

It's pretty much a Jill Dupleix recipe (my mum sent it to me ages ago from one of her recipe books and I've found it online http://www.jilldupleix.com/recipes/rec067.php), I've just upped the spice a bit.

There is a really nice amount of heat to this, and the flame orange colour of the soup and the red of the paprika reinforces the spicy taste.

Ingredients:

4 medium - large orange fleshed sweet potatoes, cut into small pieces

5 cups of boiling water or veg stock (I crumbled a stock cube over the veg and added water on top)

Salt and pepper

400g can of white beans, rinsed (I used cannelini beans. Butterbeans would also be good and Chickpeas would give a more Moroccan taste)

1 heaped tsp curry power (I used medium heat)

1 heaped tsp ground cumin

Plain soy yoghurt (or dairy if you prefer)

Paprika to sprinkle

A small handful of parsley, chopped

To make:

1) Put the sweet potatoes, stock or water and salt (not too much) and pepper in a pot. Bring to the boil, then turn down to simmer. I left it for about half an hour while I made muffins.

2) When the potato is very soft, take off the heat and add the spices and 1/2 the can of beans, stir well.

3) Either transfer to a blender or use a stick blender to get a smooth soup. I prefer using a stick blender as there's no fuss with transferring and you don't need to wait for it to cool.

4) If you have used a blender, return to the pot and add the other 1/2 of the beans. If it's too thick for your liking, add a bit more boiling water to achieve the consistency you like, bring the soup back to a gentle simmer.

5) Pour into bowls and top with a couple of spoonfuls of yoghurt, a sprinkling of paprika and some parsley. Serve with mini naan breads if desired.

So easy, so healthy, yet so delicious and very visually appealing.

I would say served 4 with bread, but this served 2 very big bowls (with one having a second bowl) without bread.

Comfort Stew

Today was the first seriously Autumn day in London. It rained, was getting dark as I walked home from the station and I even wore tights. So it was the perfect evening for a filling stew; hearty, warming, tasty and packed with veges. This stew is the dinner equivalent of slipping on a giant knitted jumper, tracksuit trousers and ugg boots. Cosy.

You can play around with the variety of veg in this. It's nice to have different colours and cut them in a range of ways (cubes, strips, rounds etc).

I am very much a cook-by-sight and then taste person, not so much a stickler for measuring. But I have, for the sake of my blog, tried to measure everything out. The ingredients list looks hideously long, but it's really just this and that from the spice cupboard. The time is all in the prep - once it is in the oven, the time is yours!

Ingredients:

For the stew's sauce

2 tsp vegetarian gravy powder

1 c boiling water

2 Tbs flour

1 Tbs tomato paste

Salt

Pepper

1 tsp dried mixed herbs

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp balsamic vingar

The body of the stew

1 medium onion, sliced lengthwise

1 small / medium leek, sliced

3 vegetarian sausages, cut into chunks on the diagonal

A splash of soy sauce

1 large garlic clove

1/2 tin of any beans you like (I used borlotti for the stew pictured, but mixed beans, chickpeas or any white bean are also perfect)

1 red capsicum, sliced lengthwise

1/3 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1/3 head of broccoli, cut into florets

1 large carrot, cut into rounds

1 medium sweet potato, cubed

3 mushrooms, sliced

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

A large handful of basil

For the cous cous

1 cup cous cous

About 1 1/2 cups of boiling water

Salt

Pepper

Lemon juice

A big handful of parsley, chopped

To make:

1) Mix sauce ingredients together - first the gravy granules and water, then add flour and mix well. Add the the rest of the ingredients and combine.

2) Lightly fry the leek, onions and sausages with the first measure of soy sauce.

3) Cut all veges and add them to a casserole dish with a lid. Add the cooked onions, leek and sausages.

4) Pour the sauce over the veges along with the tomatoes.

5) Cook at gas mark 6 for about an hour, taking out to stir occasionally (about 3 times).

6) Make the cous cous when the stew is almost ready. Put cous cous in a bowl, add boiling water, cover and leave for about 10 minutes. Taste it to make sure it's cooked through, and if not, add a touch more water and leave to stand again. Be really careful not to add to much. Add salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley and combine with a fork.

7) serve the meal sprinkled with parsley.

Serves about 4 or tastes great the next day if you have left overs.