Cheezy Cauliflower Soup

The day started well with the sun shining and once again it is very mild for this time of the year. Marco and I went out for our daily stroll, it was that warm I considered taking my coat off! We passed the allotments but my plot is still very water logged so decided to leave digging up the parsnips and leeks till another day. I hope they'll be OK! By the time we finished our walk about an hour and a half later the skies had gone black and it had started to rain, so much for the sun coming out to say hello!

By the time we'd got dried off the heavens had opened and it was pouring down, yet another dark, dank, miserable afternoon ahead. So, I decided to make some sunshine in the kitchen instead! I haven't been shopping since before Christmas, and the cupboards and fridge are getting rather bare. But nothing goes to waste in this household, so I opened the fridge door to see what treasures I could find or more correctly what needed using up ASAP!

Sitting in pride of place was a dirty, tired looking cauliflower, that had seen better days! It was crying out to be used so I reached in and plucked it from the shelf, turning it round and round wandering what I could turn it into. I glanced outside and immediately thought it's weather for soup!

Ingredients
1 Cauliflower
750ml Vegetable stock
3 Tbsp Nutritional yeast
2 Tsp White miso
1 Tsp American mustard
1 Tsp Garlic powder
1 Tsp Lemon juice
¼ Tsp Turmeric
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method
1) Cut the cauliflower in half and then each half into 3 pieces

2) Pour 300ml of the vegetable stock into a saucepan and add the cauliflower.

3) Simmer the cauliflower for 10 minutes until al dente.

4) Pour the contents of the saucepan into a liquidizer or food processor, I used my trusty Vitamix. 

5) Add the rest of the ingredients to the remaining vegetable stock and pour over the cauliflower. Blend until you have a smooth and glossy soup.

6) Serve in bowls and sprinkle with black pepper and parsley, perfect for dunking crusty bread into.

Perfect lunch for the dark, dank and miserable weather we are getting at the moment. I don't know about you but dunking crusty bread into comforting soup is one of lifes little pleasures!

Jasmine x

Adzuki Bean Curry - I Love Leftovers

Now, I don't know about you but I absolutely loathe food waste. Its just down right ridiculous, food is precious so I try not to throw any away although mishaps do happen. Like when I forget something in the back of my fridge and it wouldn't do me any good to eat it! But this is rare, very rare. 

It helps to plan what you're going to eat over the coming week, which I try and do. However, there are times when you have left overs and the odd vegetable in your fridge and you need to come up with a plan. Soup is always a good one, with a few herbs and spices you can make wonderful soups out of left overs. I've made soup with left over ingredients lots of times like the pea, spring onion and mint soup. I've also turned leftover soup into a curry, like my curry in a hurry recipe.

Today I'm showing you again how I've turned leftovers into another meal, most of the time my leftover creations actually double up in portions, which is even better. Remember my lentil stew from last Friday well that also turned into a curry and a delicious one at that, it must be a combination of all those wonderful spices! In making this recipe I also used up some leftover Christmas vegetables, bonus! Here's what I did

Ingredients - Serves 4
2 Portions of Lentil Stew 
1 Potato
2 Parsnips
¼ Red cabbage
2 Tsp Curry powder
2 Tsp Ground cumin
1 Tsp Chilli powder
½ Tsp Turmeric
1 Tsp Oil
130ml Coconut milk

Method
1) Cut the potato and parsnips into chunks and put in a bowl with 1Tsp curry powder, 1 Tsp ground cumin and the oil. Mix to coat the vegetables and place into an oven tray and roast for 20 minutes. By the time the vegetable have finished roasting you will be ready to add them to the curry.

2) Shred the cabbage and cut into chunks. Add to a saucepan with a little water and simmer for 5 minutes, drain, squeezing out as much water as you can.

3) Pour the two portions of lentil stew into a saucepan and add the other tsp of curry powder and ground cumin and also add the chilli powder and turmeric. Stir to combine and place over a low heat, stirring occasionally.

4) While the curry is heating through pour in the coconut milk and stir to combine and bring to a simmer.

5) Add the drained cabbage and stir through.

6) Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and add to the curry. Stir again so everything is incorporated and serve in bowls or with rice or poppadoms.

Easy Peasy Guacamole

Last summer I never got round to posting my recipe for easy peasy guacamole. It only takes five minutes to make, and I for one, can't get enough of the stuff.


Its great on its own, on top of a chilli, on toast or with tortilla chips or if like me following a more healthier diet carrot sticks! 


It is very easily transported but needs to be eaten fairly quickly, otherwise the avocado starts to brown even if using lemon juice. I never have any leftovers, its always eaten on the same day and even in the same sitting!


Ingredients
1 Avocado
¼ Onion, finely diced
3 Cherry tomatoes, finely diced
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
Salt & Black pepper

Method
Mash the avocado flesh with a fork, then stir in the other ingredients. Simple!

Enjoy!

Suma Bloggers Network - Adzuki & Beluga Chili

I hope you celebrated New Years Eve in style and thanked 2015 for everything that it gave you or celebrated all that it threw at you which made you stronger? I trust 2016 is already being kind to you, have you made plans how you are going to follow your passions?

I've been busy with my aromatherapy assignments about the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems and the associated pathologies. I must admit I am finding being a student rather demanding but it has been a few years since I was last at University! It is proving very interesting learning about all the horrible pathologies that are out there. Reading about these just strengthens my views about healthy living, in mind, body and spirit.

I have yet another chilli recipe for you today, using the ingredients from Suma. 

I have lots of chilli recipes on this blog and have realised that it is one of my all time favourite dishes. All recipes are a little different and this one is too.

Click on the links below for all the different chilli recipes here:

• Adzuki and Sweetcorn Chilli
• Black Bean and Spinach Chilli
• Chilli Non-Carne
• Hodmedod Bean Chilli
• Winter Wellness Chilli

Adzuki Bean and Beluga Lentil Chilli - 4 Servings

Ingredients
1 Dessert spoon coconut oil 
1 Onion, finely diced
1 Orange/Red pepper, finely diced
4 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Tin Suma organic chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp Tomato puree
1 Tsp Vegetable bouillon powder
150ml Water
1 Tsp Balsamic vinegar
1 Tin Suma organic beluga lentils
1 Tin Suma organic adzuki beans
4 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
Spice Blend
2 Tsp Ground cumin
1 Tsp Smoked garlic
1 Tsp Smoked paprika
1 Tsp Chilli powder
1 Tsp Coriander
1 Tsp Cocoa powder
1 Tsp Dried parsley
1 Tsp Crushed chilli flakes
1 Tsp Onion granules
½ Tsp Turmeric
½ Tsp Salt
½ Tsp Black pepper

Method

1) Prepare your spice blend, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

2) Melt the coconut oil in a large pan over a low heat.

3) Sauté the onion until translucent, about 10 minutes, then add the diced pepper and cook for another 5 minutes.

4) Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute stirring all the time so the garlic doesn't catch.

5) Add the spice blend and keep stirring and cook for 30 seconds.

6)  Mix the vegetable bouillon powder with the water to make your stock.

7) Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and stir to combine. Add the vegetable stock and cook until bubbling. Turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

8) Add the tomato purée and balsamic vinegar and give everything a good stir.

9) Drain and wash the beluga lentils and adzuki beans and add to the chilli sauce and  stir to combine. Cook for another 10 minutes until the beans and lentils have warmed through and taken on the flavours of the chilli sauce.

10) Add the nutritional yeast and stir to dissolve into the sauce.

11) Serve in bowls topped with guacamole or on top of cooked quinoa or a mixture of wholegrain rice and wild rice.

Remember to follow your passions and live the life you've always dreamed of!

Jasmine x