Recipes

Easy Lentil & Tomato Soup

I made this simple, lightly spiced lentil soup over the weekend. It’s really quick and easy. The coriander seeds and garnish really lift it from just a healthy soup to something truly comforty and delicious. I was asked for the recipe so providing it as requested. It’s gluten free, pretty fodmap friendly (other than the lentils), vegetarian etc.

Time required: 15 minutes. Serves four reasonable sized servings.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter (could be oil for vegan)
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 3 tsp of oregano
• 2 tins chopped tomatoes
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup strong vegetable stock (2 stock cubes crumbled with a cup of boiling water)
• 1 tin brown lentils (drained and rinsed)
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped coriander to garnish

Steps

1. Saute carrots in butter with bay leaves for about 5 minutes in a medium-large pot, until tender.
2. Add coriander and cumin seeds and cook for a further 1 minute.
3. Add garam masala and cook for another 30 seconds.
4. Add oregano, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable stock and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Remove bay leaves and then blend till smooth. A stick mixer will work well here.
6. Add lentils and return to heat for 3 minutes until heated through.
7. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
8. Serve into bowls and garnish with chopped coriander.

Further notes: This recipe would freeze well.  If you wanted a creamy curry version consider adding cream/coconut cream + curry powder to taste.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Several days ago I celebrated my birthday and had a bit of an informal dinner party, among the starters was a stuffed mushroom recipe that was made up on the spot. A good friend of mine requested I post the recipe, so without further ado:

Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

  Ingredients

• 30 small button mushrooms. You could use bigger mushrooms, but you would use less and need to cook them longer.
• 125 g of decent cream cheese
• 1 tsp cracked pepper
• 2 finely chopped cloves of garlic
• a handful of chopped herbs, mainly sage
• 2 tbs olive oil

Method