Flossie's Delicious Pumpkin Soup

Hello everyone! Sorry I haven't posted anything for a while, things have been busy! My friend Floss cooked an amazing soup for me this week that I thought I ought to recreate and share - all credit goes to her. It is super fresh and tasty, with very few ingredients and perfect for October.

Ingredients (serves 4)

- 2 red onions, chopped

- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped in half

- 3 carrots, roughly chopped

- 2 sweet potatoes, roughly chopped with their skins on

- 1/4 medium pumpkin or 1/2 a small one, peeled and roughly chopped

- 1 chilli, chopped with or without seeds depending on your spice tolerance

- 1 tin of coconut milk

- 1 litre stock using 1 vegetable stock cube and 1/2 chicken stock cube

- 1 tsp dried basil

- salt and pepper

1. There is no need to use any oil, simply put your onions and garlic into a large heated saucepan and then add the coconut milk. Simmer away slowly while you prepare the veg.

2. Put everything else into the saucepan and cook with a lid on for 20-25 mins on a medium-high heat, until the vegetables are soft. 

3. Blitz the vegetables in a food mixer or smoothie blender - do this a little at a time or the heat might cause the soup to overflow or splash everywhere.

Serve with fresh bread and a sprinkling of seeds.

Twinings - Mango, Avocado and Rocket Salad with Mango Tango Tofu

Salads aren’t just for summer! This is a great dish if you’re craving something light, healthy and refreshing after a heavy winter. The sweet flavours of mango team nicely with the sharp rocket and tangy dressing to make an easy salad which you’ll want to make time and time again.

Please have a look at my sixth January Twinings recipe: http://www.twinings.co.uk/blog/2016/january/mango-avocado-and-rocket-salad-with-mango-tango

Vegan Courgette Summer Pesto

After realising I had one too many courgettes in my fridge, I decided to do some experimenting. Why wouldn't courgette taste great in pesto? This recipe is cheese free and therefore vegan, and has a moist nutty texture, even though it contains very little oil. Healthy healthy! Perfect swirled through pasta or rice, or used as a dip or spread.

Ingredients (serves 2)

- 1/2 a courgette

- 1 small clove of garlic, crushed

- fresh or frozen basil from a 31g bag, stalks removed and discarded

- 20 almonds

- 4 cherry or small fresh tomatoes

- 2 tbsp sunflower oil, or any

- salt and pepper

1. Start by turning the oven to 200°c to bake the courgette. Slice the courgette and drizzle with the sunflower oil. Season well and bake for 10-15 minutes until soft and golden. 

2. Blitz the almonds in a food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs. *Some bigger crumbs will give the sauce some texture*. 

3. Add the cooked courgette slices with their oil, crushed garlic, tomatoes, and basil to the mixer with the almonds. Mix for a few minutes until smooth. 

YUM!

Broad Bean, Coriander and Chilli Houmous Dip

This morning was spent picking runner beans from my mum's vegetable garden, and I thought I ought to make something delicious for lunch. I love it when you get half way through making something, only to realise that you don't have all the ingredients you want, because it calls for a little experimentation. From this slight blip, I concocted a new, exciting, and very healthy dip recipe. This has a kick, so if you're susceptible to spice, add less chilli

 Ingredients (makes two pots)

- 400g tin soft boiled chickpeas (I use TRS Boiled Chick Peas) with 2/3 chickpea water

- 2 handfuls of cooked broad beans (with skins)

- 1/2 a large clove of garlic

- juice of half lemon

- juice of half a lime 

- 1/2 a fresh chilli

- a handful of fresh coriander (stalks included)

- a good glug of olive oil

- pepper

1. Place all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blitz for a few minutes.

2. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more olive oil or lemon juice.

3. Sprinkle with flaked almonds, linseeds or poppy seeds to make it look pretty and serve how you wish. I'd like to try this smothered on pumpernickle bread and topped with smoked salmon.

Spring Salads with a Variety of Dressings

Quinoa and Barley Salad with Ratatouille and Roasted Nuts

Ratatouille is so simple to make, and I love putting it in salads. Add it to quinoa or barley, mix in some chopped coriander and a few squeezes of lemon juice, then top it with roasted nuts for a yummy alternative to standard salads. 

Cucumber and Pomegranate Salad with Mixed Nuts and Seeds

Pomegranates add that extra sweetness to salads, and if matched with a sour lemon dressing, you can't go wrong. Mix 2 tsp mayonnaise with 2 tsp dijon mustard, then add the juice or half a small lemon. Gradually pour in good quality olive oil until it reaches a good consistency.

Seafood Salad with Chicory, Grapes, Tomatoes and Fresh Coriander

Seafood mixes are a great way to bulk up salads and make them look and taste exotic. Use the dressing mentioned above, and add some honey to sweeten it up a little.

Mushroom and Pomegranate Salad with an Assortment of Nuts

Match the sweet pomegranate seeds with a balsamic dressing. Shake up 4 tbsp good quality olive oil with 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, half a garlic clove (crushed), 1 tsp dijon mustard, a few dashes of worcester sauce and a pinch of sugar in a jam jar. If you shake it well, the ingredients won't separate. Add another sprinkle of vinegar if you want it extra tangy.

Simple Wintery Soup - Parsnip, Turnip and Carrot - Vegan and Dairy-free

Hello 2014!! It's time for some more recipes.

Ingredients (serves 4)

- 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped

- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped

- 2 turnips, peeled and chopped

- 2 onions, peeled and chopped into quarters

- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

- 1/8 tsp ground ginger

- 1 1/2 litres vegetable or chicken stock

- 2 tsp olive oil

- salt and pepper

1. Firstly, preheat the oven to 190°c and make sure all the vegetables are chopped into similar sized pieces. Place all the vegetables into a large baking tray and coat with the oil, spices and seasoning. 

2. Cook the vegetables for 30-45 minutes once the oven is hot, and remove them when they are soft.

- Usually I just use stock cubes because it's easy, but this particular evening I was making carrot, potato and parsnip mash at the same time as the soup, so I already had some delicious homemade stock available. I would definitely recommend using homemade stock if you can.

3. Start whizzing up the vegetables in a food processor once they have cooled down slightly, and slowly add in the stock. Keep adding the stock until the soup is at your preferred consistency. Finally have a taste and season with salt and pepper.

Super Fruity Strawberry, Pineapple and Tangerine Juice topped with Goji Berry Flaxseed

I don't often post smoothies and juices, because they're incredibly easy to make. All fruit tastes great when it's pulverised. However, this one was extra fruity, delicious and the easiest of easy.

Ingredients (serves 1)

- 30 small British strawberries

- 8 pineapple pieces

- 1 tangerine or orange, peeled

- goji berry, pumpkin seed and sunflower seed flax (find the recipe further down)

1. Simple blend the fruit together in a tall mixer, pour into a large glass and sprinkle with the flaxseed topping.

http://instagram.com/p/fFQnMZuku_/

Gherkin, Date and Broad Bean Salad with Goji Berries and Seeds - Vegan and Dairy Free

Picking and podding broad beans is so satisfying. Although it takes a while, and you're left with very little; what you get is so delicious and precious, that you cherish every bite. I love them in salads.

Ingredients (serves 4)

for the salad -

 - 5 handfuls of chopped lettuce

- 3 gherkins, chopped

- 4 dates, pitted and chopped

- 1 handful of broad beans (cooked like peas for a few minutes and left to cool)

- 1 handful of goji berries

- pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, linseeds and sesame seeds to sprinkle

for the dressing -

- 170ml olive oil

- 50ml balsamic vinegar 

- 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard

- a pinch of sugar

- 1 tsp worcester sauce

- salt and pepper

1. Shake all the ingredients for the dressing in a jam jar until fully mixed and pour it over the scrumptious salad. 

http://instagram.com/p/b8q1ZfOkhg/

Hello Healthy Houmous - Vegan and Dairy Free

This is a super easy recipe. I have used peanut butter as an alternative to tahini, as I feel it gives a better, softer flavour. Plus, peanut butter lasts for ages and is always available.

Ingredients (makes two ramekins)

 - 400g tin of soft chickpeas (I like to use TRS Asia Boiled Chickpeas) with 1/3 chickpea juice

- 2 tsp smooth peanut butter

- 1 clove of garlic

- juice of 1/2 a lemon

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- linseeds or paprika to serve (optional)

1. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor or using a hand blender. 

If you've never tried paprika on houmous, you must! It is a great addition to add flavour and vibrant colour. The other alternative is to sprinkle the houmous with linseeds or sesame seeds.

http://instagram.com/p/b8nLe8uktn/

Homemade Flaxseed Recipes - Vegan and Dairy Free

I have previously bought my flaxseed from Holland and Barratt, but it seems to be quite expensive when you can make it easily yourself. Flaxseed can be added to almost anything and is packed with omega 3 and nutrition. I like to add it to overnight oats and smoothies.

Plain Flaxseed

Ingredients

- 50g linseeds (golden or brown)

1. Blend the linseeds in a tall food processor or blender until they resemble ground almonds.

Goji Berry, Sunflower and Pumpkin Seed Flax

Ingredients

- 50g linseeds (golden or brown)

- 25g goji berries

- 25g sunflower seeds

- 25g pumpkin seeds

 1. Blend all the ingredients in a tall food processor or blender until they resemble ground almonds.
http://instagram.com/p/bTmXaROkls/

Homemade Granola - Vegan and Dairy Free

 Ingredients (roughly makes 6 helpings)

- 300g plain oats

- 75g almonds (or flaked almonds), roughly chopped
- 45g sunflower seeds
- 45g pumpkin seeds
- 2 tsp linseeds
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 120ml maple syrup

1. Set the oven to 165°C and cover a large flat oven dish with greaseproof paper.

2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and then add the rapeseed oil. Stir thoroughly, and pour in the maple syrup.

3. Once the ingredients are evenly coated in the syrup and oil, transfer the mix onto the oven dish and spread equally.

4. Place in the oven for 40 minutes, stirring the contents every 10 minutes so that it doesn't burn. The browner the granola gets, the crunchier it will be. 

Layer up the granola with yoghurt and fruit for a delicious breakfast or dessert.

http://instagram.com/p/Z-HPFvukuN/

Celeriac and Lentil Salad with Mint and Roasted Hazelnuts - Vegan and Dairy Free

This is a delicious, easy and super healthy summer salad with lots of flavour! It can be eaten on it's own, with a lettuce salad or with a nice piece of fresh fish.

Ingredients (serves 4 as a side)

1/2 a packet/tin of Merchant Gourmet Ready to Eat Puy Lentils (250g)

1/2 a celeriac, peeled and chopped into small chunks

2 tbsp good quality olive oil

1 1/2 handfuls hazelnuts, roasted

leaves off 4 large mint stalks, finely chopped

salt and pepper

1. Start by boiling the celeriac in a saucepan for roughly 12 minutes, until tender but still a little hard. 

2. While you are cooking the celeriac, prepare the other ingredients. Put the hazelnuts in a frying pan and roast them for 4 minutes on a medium heat, frequently moving them so they don't burn. 

3. Empty the lentils into a bowl, add the chopped mint and olive oil.

4. Once the celeriac is cooked, drain and rinse with cold water so that it cools down quicker. When it is cold, place it in the bowl. Roughly chop the roasted hazelnuts and also put them in the bowl. Mix the dish thoroughly before serving.