Turmeric red lentil coconut soup

Simple, satisfying soup with a creamy feel, thats how I would sum up this soup. Apart from the main ingredients this soup also contains sweet potato, kale, ginger, carrot and a bit of my favourite moroccan spice Ras el hanout. It's a great soup to freeze and swipe out for a quick lunch or dinner. 

Turmeric and ginger are both potent anti inflammatory ingredients. Meaning they help fight anything that might be causing inflammatory responses in your system such as; refined sugar, white flour, alcohol, just to name a few. We want to avoid inflammatory situations in our system as they aggregate and cause trouble and lead to various chronic diseases, arthritis being an extreme example.

Ingredients for a soup serving 4 (large portions): 

3 dl lentils (I used a mix of red & semi brown)

1,5 veggie stock cube 

1 tube size fresh ginger, chopped finely

1/2 chilli, chopped 

1,5 onion, diced

1 spring onion, sliced 

3 medium kale leaves (I used cavalero nero)

1 large carrot, diced

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 tbsp coconut oil 

1/2 tbsp ground turmeric

1/2 tbsp ras el hanout

1/2 juice lemon 

4 dl water

1 coconut milk (200ml)

salt and pepper

The nice thing with this soup is it carries enough flavour to be eaten at alike warm temperature which makes it a nice spring/autumn time soup. 

1. In a large soup pan heat the coconut oil and fry the onion, chili and turmeric for 2-3 minutes. 
2. Now add the chopped ginger along with the diced carrot and sweet potato. Fry this for another 1-2 minutes, making sure to stir and get everything coated in the turmeric. 
3. Rinse the lentils thoroughly, then add them along with the water and veggie stock, stir. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat. Cook for 15 min. 
4. Now add the coconut milk, the chopped kale and spring onion. Allow to simmer for another 10min.  
5. Once the soup is done you turn it off the heat and add the lemon juice, stir. 

If you want to blend the soup (which I did), you will need to allow the soup to cool off slightly before whizzing it up. I like to use a hand blender as this allows me to keep allow for some chunky bits to remain. 

Sweet potato barley soup

Another of my favorite winter soups. Barley and sweet potato are a perfect union. You can really use what ever veg you have in your fridge. Soups are always a great way to use up old veggies.



Recipe for 8 servings

8 button mushrooms
2 medium sweet potatoes
2 stalks of celery
2 dl pearled barley
1/3 of a broccoli head
1/2 fennel bulb
a few stalks of fresh parsley
2 stock cubes - chicken or veggie
salt & pepper
drizzle of cooking oil or coconut oil (my new favorite cooking oil - just make sure you use the flavourless version)
6 dl water

1. Chop all the veggies into chunks. 
2. Drizzle some cooking oil into a big pot and slowly fry the veggies, on a low heat for a few minutes. You just want to give them a little time to open up in flavor. 
3. Add the stock cube & water
4. Add the barley
5. Allow the soup to simmer, on a low heat for 30 min. Leave the lid half ways on.  
6. Taste, add salt & pepper and add the stalks of the parsley, save the leaves for last minute garnish. 
7. Allow the soup to simmer another 12-15min. taste again and add more seasoning if need be. 
8. The barley should be soft & bouncy while the veggie soft-ish. 
9. Once you are content with the taste & consistency pour the soup out into bowls and add the fresh parsley

Sweet potato, broccoli & barley soup

This is a really hearty and warming soup. Perfect for these winter days & nights.

The best part is you can make a big batch and eat it for lunch or dinner several times! That will make many home cookers happy not to have to think of a new dish & go shopping for it.

You could replace the sweet potatoes for pumpkin or regular potatoes, you could skip the celery if you're not a fan, you could add courgette. Basically its one of these soups that you use what you have in the fridge, really.

Shepard's Pie - done my way

Its been a while since I last posted and I always feel it tugging at the back of my mind. Suffice to say I have been a busy bee with a new study and trying to figure out what's next.

My hubby also noticed my lack of cooking creativity so he kindly gave me a new cook book for inspiration. It seems that the cooking block has been loosened. Although I fear for myself and my own expectations that I won't be posting as often as I wish I could.

Thank you all for your patience, all of you, whom I don't even know, read my blog.

Here is a seasonal dinner recipe, a request given by my hubby - Shepard's Pie done my way.

This is by far THE BEST Shepard's pie I have ever made. Deep in flavors, creamy and full of texture all at the same time. I have to pat myself on my back for this one, I am proud. 

I replaced regular potatoes for sweet potatoes & rutabaga or swede or turnip, which ever you prefer to call it. Basically this last mentioned is a root veggie, white & purple with a yellowish color inside. It has a very distinct flavor. Some say you either hate rutabaga or love it..So if you haven't tried it yet, give it a go, its the perfect season for it!

Apparently these "swedes" are high in vitamin C.