Pumpkin Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 leek, white part only, finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1kg peeled pumpkin, diced
• 1 large potato, peeled, diced
• 1L Massel chicken style liquid stock or vegetable liquid stock
• 1/2 cup (125ml) thin cream
• 
  

METHOD

• Step 1
  Heat oil in a large saucepan over low heat, add onion and leek and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Add garlic and spices and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add pumpkin, potato and stock and bring to the boil. Turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then blend in batches.
• • Step 2
    Return soup to pan, stir through cream and reheat gently. Season and add a little more nutmeg if desired.
  • 
    

  https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/pumpkin-soup/e54ab2b5-7d19-4e4b-b383-781292dc4bfb 
• 
  

• 
  

Tomato Soup-Jamie Oliver

Ingredients

• 2 carrots
• 2 sticks of celery
• 2 medium onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• olive oil
• 2 organic chicken or vegetable stock cubes
• 2 x 400 g tins of quality plum tomatoes
• 6 large ripe tomatoes
• ½ a bunch of fresh basil

Method

1. Peel and roughly slice the carrots, slice the celery, and peel and roughly chop the onions. Peel and slice the garlic.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan over a medium heat, add all the prepped ingredients, then cook with lid ajar for 10 to 15 minutes, or until softened.
3. Crumble the stock cubes into a jug, cover with1.5 litres of boiling water, and stir until dissolved.
4. Add the stock to the veg pan with tinned and fresh whole tomatoes, including the green stalks that may still be attached to some of them (these give an amazing flavour – trust me!).
5. Give it a good stir and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on. Meanwhile, pick your basil leaves.
6. Remove the pan from the heat. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper, then stir through the basil leaves.
7. Using a stick blender or liquidizer, pulse the soup until smooth. Taste and check the seasoning, then serve.

Note: I blend everything except basil leaves, just chopped them finely and sprinkle on the soup before serving. Superb!

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/tomato-soup/

Spiced Vegan Lentil Soup

Prep time:  10 mins Cook time:  45 mins Total time:  55 mins
Serves: 4 servings


INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 800g can of diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable broth/ Chicken Stock
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup chopped fresh Bak Choy or Spinach
• 1 cup of Cabbage

INSTRUCTIONS

• Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. One-fourth cup olive oil may seem like a lot, but it adds a lovely richness and heartiness to this nutritious soup.
• Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and carrot and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, curry powder and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Pour in the drained diced tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, in order to enhance their flavor.
• Pour in the lentils, broth and the water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
• Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender. Protect your hand from steam with a tea towel placed over the lid and purée the soup until smooth. Pour the puréed soup back into the pot and add the chopped greens. Cook for 5 more minutes, or until the greens have softened to your liking.
• Remove the pot from heat and stir in the juice of half of a lemon. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. Serve immediately.

I tweak a couple of things in the ingredients. :)

Recipe is taken from: http://cookieandkate.com/2015/vegan-lentil-soup-recipe/

Chicken Stew

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 stalks celery, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 carrot, peeled, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 1 (14-ounce) can low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 2 chicken breast with ribs (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
• 1 (15-ounce) can organic kidney beans, drained (rinsed if not organic)

Directions

• Heat the oil in a heavy 5 1/2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot, and onion. 
• Saute the vegetables until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 
• Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, basil, tomato paste, bay leaf, and thyme. Add the chicken breasts; press to submerge.
• Bring the cooking liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently uncovered until the chicken is almost cooked through, turning the chicken breasts over and stirring the mixture occasionally, about 25 minutes. 
• Using tongs, transfer the chicken breasts to a work surface and cool for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. 
• Add the kidney beans to the pot and simmer until the liquid has reduced into a stew consistency, about 10 minutes.

Discard the skin and bones from the chicken breasts. Shred or cut the chicken into bite- size pieces. Return the chicken meat to the stew. Bring the stew just to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the stew into serving bowls and serve with the bread.

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chicken-stew-recipe.html?oc=linkback


Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chicken-stew-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Spiced carrot and lentil soup(Better version)

Ingredients

2 tsp cumin seeds/ 1 tsp cumin powder

pinch chilli flakes/ 1 1/2 tsp blend chilli

2 tbsp olive oil

600g carrots, washed and coarsely grated 

3 potatoes

140g split red lentils

1l hot beef stock (from 2 cubes)

500g beef

125ml milk

plain yogurt and naan bread, to serve

Method

1. Heat a large saucepan and dry-fry the cumin seeds and chilli flakes for 1 min, or until they start to jump around the pan and release their aromas. 
2. Scoop out about half of the seeds with a spoon and set aside. Add the oil, carrot, lentils, stock and milk to the pan and bring to the boil. 
3. Simmer for 15 mins until the lentils have swollen and softened.
4. Whizz the soup with a stick blender or in a food processor until smooth (or leave it chunky if you prefer). 
5. Season to taste and finish with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of the reserved toasted spices. Serve with warmed naan breads.

tweak from: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2089/spiced-carrot-and-lentil-soup

Spicy Lentil Soup with Curry Pinwheel Rolls

Ingredients

2 tbsp curry paste
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, grated
140g red lentils
1l hot vegetable stock

For the curry pinwheel rolls
500g pack bread mix
1 tbsp curry paste


Method

1. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. For the rolls, make up the bread mix following pack instructions, then roll out to a 30 x 40cm rectangle. 
2. Spread over the curry paste, then roll up, starting with the longest edge, like a roly poly. Cut into 8 slices and transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden and cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, make the soup. Fry the curry paste and onion in a large pan for 2 mins until fragrant. Stir in the carrots and lentils and mix to coat in the curry paste. 
4. Cook for 2 mins, then pour in the stock and simmer for 20 mins until the lentils are tender. Whizz with a stick blender until smooth, add some seasoning and serve with the curry pinwheels.