From Soup to Stew to Salsa
A friend of mine, G, emailed me a recipe with “I found a recipe on Anjum Anand’s website for Spinach and Lentil curry – but the flavour was too “raw” for my taste. I’ve played with the recipe and the result I think is a bit richer and gentler at least for my palette. It’s now one of my favourite soups."

To be honest I have been hitting the soup pretty hard lately, so I figured this would probably work as a stew as well, the first change begins...the changes I made are in red.

Spinach and Lentil Curry Soup

1 small onion, finely chopped

8g fresh ginger, finely chopped

3 green chillies, finely chopped (or whole for a more subtle flavour)

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

150g split red lentils (250g)

900ml chicken stock (can substitute vege stock) (800ml vege stock)

1/2 tin chopped tomatoes (whole tin)

200g baby spinach leaves (350g Home Grown Organics Frozen English Spinach)

salt to taste (optional)

1 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 rounded tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1. On a medium heat, heat oil in saucepan and fry onion until translucent
2. Add chopped chilli, garlic and ginger, turmeric cumin, coriander and garam masala and fry to release aromas (2 min) – Note: if leaving chilli whole do not add at this stage
3. On a medium heat, heat oil in saucepan and fry onion until translucent
4. Add chopped chilli, garlic and ginger, turmeric cumin, coriander and garam masala and fry to release aromas (2 min) – Note: if leaving chilli whole do not add at this stage
5. Add tin of tomatoes and fry for another couple minutes stirring regularly
6. Add vege stock and lentils (and whole chilli) and bring to the boil
7. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes (by this time the lentils should be mushy... you may need to add more water at this stage if the soup is too thick)
8. Add spinach and allow to return to the boil
9. Add salt to taste
10. Serve hot.

The stew (or dahl) was delicious, really, really extra tasty.
The next night I wanted to do something different with it and had wanted to make nachos at some stage, so decided to put 2 and 2 together and use the dahl as the 'salsa' with some organic cheese on top.

Well what another tasty supprise this was. Mmm mmm success stories and full tummies all round.

Thanks G!!

Mushroom, Kale and Barley Risotto
1/2 cup dried sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 cup pearl barley
1 head of kale
1 large onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 large field mushroom
2 cups chopped button mushroom (or mushrooms of your choice)
1 smll zucchini
1 cup arborio rice
vegetable stock
1 glass of white wine (optional)
1 cup Pecorino cheese (or parmesan)
goat's cheese to serve

I dry roasted the barley the day before using it (believed to make the barley have a more alkalizing effect on the body) but it is an optional step.
Soak the shiitake mushrooms and barley together, at least overnight in a litre or so of water.
Put barley and mushroom soak into saucepan, add two litres of vegetable stock and simmer.
Chop onion, garlic, mushrooms, zucchini (into small cubes) and kale (into chiffonade).
Saute onions, add garlic and then after a few minutes add arborio rice. Stir till the rice starts to go clear and then add glass of white wine, once wine is absorbed, add kale and stir through. Start adding a ladle full of the stock mixture whilst stiring continuously so the rice is constantly absorbing the liquid. Make sure you are getting the barley from the bottom of the saucepan as you add the liquid. Continue to stir until you are on you last ladle of stock. Add mushrooms and zucchini. Keep stirring until all stock is used up. Stir through fresh grated Pecorino cheese and serve with chunks of goat's cheese on top if desired.

Shiitake mushrooms (Letinan Edodes) are high in Lysine, Pepsin & Trypsin (aid digestion), have cholesterol lowering properties and are excellent sources of Vit A, B, C, E and D (when sun-dried)

Soup, Glorious Soup.

It's raining and windy (although not quite like our East coast neighbours) so that must mean it is time to make soup.
In the last couple of weeks I have already made pumpkin and barley soup, lentil soup and pumpkin and quinoa. But today good old fashioned vegetable soup was on the cards.
I'm not particularly biased when it comes to the veggies that go into a vegetable soup, however I think carrot, celery and onion are an obvious must if you want it to taste "just like Mum's".

I used a huge onion that obviously grew very happily on the organic farm that he came from. Onions decrease inflammation and phlegm, lower cholesterol and destroy bacteria, so they are a great food for the 'cold' season that is upon us.

I also used
Carrot - high in antioxidant beta-carotene, helps protect against cancer, benefits the skin and is anti-inflammatory for the mucous membranes.
Celery - used in treating high blood pressure, high in silicon which helps renew joints, bones, arteries and connective tissue.
Cauliflower - phytochemical cruciferous indoles help fight cancer in the breast and prostate.

Parsnip - contains anti-inflammatory Phenolic acids which are useful in the treatment of arthritis and rheumatism.
Garlic - Mother Nature's antibiotic
Amaranth - high levels of protein and calcium (more than milk) and contains the cofactors to allow you to absorb the calcium, magnesium and silicon.

I basically threw this all intogether and then had some leftover roasted carrots, sweet potato and beetroot that I threw in. To finish it off I added some udon noodles (the dried rather than the fresh) and out came a delicious, warming soup that I enjoyed whilst watching the storm put on a fanatstic show outside.

Exam Time Quick Blog
Exams are stressful, so there hasn't been too much time for blogging, when I do get to cook I try to make it nutritious and preferably freezer friendly so I have meals at the ready when I get home late. Here's a sample of what's made it to my plate lately -

Quinoa, bean, snow pea, avocado, black bean salad. Obviously not freezer friendly, but yummy.
Pumpkin curry with red capsicum and tofu. Warming food that freezes well.
Pumpkin muffins, chunky savoury muffins that are fine to freeze, but the recipe definently needs some tweaking to get it to perfection.
Mini savoury quiches, I made 24 of these with various fillings, the photo is of mushroom and sweet corn. They freeze well and are great with a few steamed veggies on the side.

So although times are a bit stressful, at least there is food on the table, for that I am thankful.

Hope everyone is well out there in the bog world :)

Delicious Roll Filling - 1

FRESH roll of your choice
baby spinach
4 or 5 spears of blanched asparagus (or tinned if not available)
cottage cheese spread on the bottom roll
avocado spread on the top roll
a drizzle of tomato chutney and a crack of pepper

Served with a cup of miso soup with shredded seaweed and that is one Delicious nutritious lunch. Mmm mm.

What's your favourite filling?