Lentil Soup

I have an almost Biblical love affair with lentils.  I consume it often.  In fact, whenever a recipe calls for minced beef, I use lentils as vegetarian substitute - with some success.

This lentil soup doesn't last long in our house, mostly because I keep 'tasting' it before we get a chance to eat it.

Great with garlic bread!

My  birthright   for  Lentils-soup!
Ingredients:

olive oil
3 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
1 tsp ras-el-hanout (from Moroccan shop, if you can find it)*
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped (don't skip the sweet potato - it really adds flavour)
1 potato, peeled and chopped
1 can of lentils (roughly 400gr)
1 can of white cannelini beans (roughly 400gr)
1 can of chopped tomatoes (roughly 400gr)
about 1 litre of water, more or less, depending on how thick you like your soup to be
2 stock cubes

Image:  lentilsouprecipe.com

Method:

In a heavy casserole, fry the celery and onion. 
When it starts to brown, add the garlic and fry for about 5 minutes.
Add the canned lentils, beans and tomatoes.
Add the water, stock cubes and ras-el-hanout.
(I've noticed there isn't much of a taste difference if you add the spices earlier or not)
Add the sweet potato and potato cubes.

Let it simmer for about 20 minutes.
Blend half of the soup with a hand-held blender.
Season to taste and enjoy!

* if you can't find ras-el-hanout, you can always use coriander, cinnamon, cumin, chilli, turmeric and cardemom.  Anything to add to the flavour!



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Budget-Friendly & Yummy Cauliflower & Pesto soup

Feeding a family of 2 boys, 1 baby and 2 hungry parents on a budget can be tricky.  
Boys eat a lot. 
A LOT. 
(And so do their parents but that's another matter).

For a few months now I've been trying to feed us the healthiest food for the least amount of money.  With soup, this is easily achieved.  

This cauliflower soup is flavoured with Pesto and delicious.  Even fussy boys like it!

Cauliflower & Pesto soup

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, washed and chopped

some butter

some flour

Pesto (2-3 tablespoons)

About 1 litre of vegetable stock

Soy cream (150-200ml)

Salt & pepper

Method:

First of all, make a base to bind the soup.

Melt the butter.

As soon as it has melted, stir in the flour until a paste forms.

Stir in some soy cream (about 150-200ml) and heat.

Add the hot vegetable stock.

Tip in the cauliflower florets.

Cook until the cauliflower is cooked (about 10-15 minutes).

Using a hand blender, blend the soup to a fairly smooth consistency.
It should be rather thick.

Stir in the pesto:  about 2-3 tablespoons will flavour it well.

Season to taste.

Delicious with garlic bread. 

This meal is as cheap as chips!

Today!

This says it all about my attitude for today!

We're making Christmas decorations for our tacky tree (Xmas trees should be tacky!!!) and trying to stay warm on a cold and windy day here in the Netherlands!

Tonight some leftover soup & bread, make a fire and melt some marshmallows.  Haven't done that in years.

:)

Lately I have been buying veggies in bulk.  This week our table is graced with a huge bunch of fat leeks, dying to be turned into SOMETHING nice.  

I have a neverending love affair with soup, so soup it will be for our dinner.  Hopefully I can hide the 'veggie' part of the soup so Son#2 won't pull up his nose.  Three and three-quarter year olds...  I ask you.

Potato & LEEK SOUP!

Ingredients:

About 500g of peeled potatoes, chopped

A small onion, roughly chopped

About 500g sliced leeks, mainly the white part

800ml of vegetable stock
1 tablespoon of wholegrain mustard

small carton of (soy) cream (around 200ml)

butter
2 bay leaves

salt & pepper

fried bits of bacon (optional for the non-vegetarians!)

1 baguette

grated cheese

Method:

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter and then add the leeks, onion and potatoes.

Fry for a few minutes until all the veggies have been covered with butter.

Add the stock and bring to the boil.

Add the bay leaves, salt & pepper.

Cover partially and let it simmer for 15 minutes. 
Fish out the bay leaves. 
Stir in the mustard.

Using a hand-blender, blend in batches to a chunky consistency.

Add the cream.

You could add some stock/water if the soup is too thick.

In the meantime, slice the baguette thinly.

Preheat the grill.

Cover the slices of baguette with grated cheese and place under the grill until the cheese has melted and starts to brown.

Serve together with soup while hot!

Bon appetit!