This Chicken Enchilada Soup is a delicious one pot wonder and warming soup that has all the flavours of Mexico with very little fuss. This is a perfect way to enjoy vegetables and you can control the heat with the amount of chilli you add. Research demonstrates that people who eat more than 30 different…
soup
Lamb Shank Quinoa Soup
This Lamb Shank Quinoa Soup recipe came about out of vivid memories of the Lamb Shank Pearl Barley soup my nan used to make often. It’s got all the flavours of this old time favourite, just with a whole lot more goodness. Loaded with classic soupy vegetables, this is warming, nourishing and super satisfying and…
Thai Vegetable Soup
This Thai Vegetable Soup is super simple to make and so delicious. The iconic South-East Asian flavours of coconut and tamari infused with fresh garlic, ginger and chilli make an aromatic base to which vegetables and tofu are added. It’s very easily adapted to suit your supplies so feel free to sub any of the…
Enoki ‘Noodle’ Soup
Enoki mushrooms make for the best ‘noodles’ especially in Asian inspired dishes. This fresh simple Enoki ‘Noodle’ Soup is like a hug in a bowl and perfect for those of you that with a grain-free diet or trying to inject more plant based nourishment. It’s also super versatile so you can vary it to suit…
Serbian White Bean Soup
This robust Serbian White Bean Soup is a filling, delicious, plant-powered meal. Traditionally it would be made with cracked wheat, but to keep it gluten-free I’ve chosen brown rice for a complete vegetarian protein. What I love about this Eastern European soup is that you get to enjoy flavours of a less-well-known culture in an easy…
Ramen Noodles
These simple Ramen Noodles are a calcium rich, nourishing and super tasty meal. The tofu, pak choy, bean sprouts and tahini are all brilliant vegan sources of calcium and the warming spices support digestion and assimilation. Whilst the core recipe is vegan, check out the variations below the main recipe to make it meaty if…
Creamy Kale Sweet Potato Soup
This Creamy Kale Sweet Potato Soup is a deliciously hearty soup that will warm and comfort the body. Made from simple ingredients, the combination of anti-inflammatory spices, collagen and protein-rich bone broth will nourish your gut. Nutrient dense and fibre-packed from the lentils, nuts and vegetables, it’s a super soup for sure.
For all you need to know about bone broth and how to make it click here. I love having broth ready in my fridge or freezer so that I can whip up a nourishing soup any time it is needed.
Take a look at the variations below the main recipes to adjust the recipe to suit your dietary requirements and taste.
Creamy Kale Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil – or olive oil
- 1 onion/s – diced
- 4 clove/s garlic – crushed
- 1 tbsp ginger root – finely grated
- 500 g sweet potato/s – diced 2-3cm
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 1 L stock or broth – of any kind (chicken or vegetable)
- ⅓ cup split red lentils
- ½ lemon/s – juice & zest
- 1 bunch/s kale
- 400 ml canned coconut milk – full fat
- ¼ cup raw cashew nuts – toasted
- fresh coriander leaves – optional, to serve
- Chilli flakes – optional, to serve
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt the coconut oil over a moderate heat and add the onion. Saute for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger and saute for another minute.
- Add the sweet potato, spices and seasoning and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the stock or broth and lentils and bring to a rolling simmer for 10-15 mins or until the lentils have softened.
- Add the lemon zest, tear the kale from the stems and add to the soup with the coconut milk. Heat for a couple of minutes to wilt the kale.
- Stir through the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Serve
- With optional cashews, coriander leaves and chilli flakes.
- This is pictured with the sourdough starter flatbread recipe.
Make-ahead
- Re-heat in a pot over a low heat until just hot.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
Nut-free
Replace the cashews with pumpkin seeds.Vegan and vegetarian
Replace the bone broth with vegetable stock.Smooth soup
You can absolutely blend this into a smooth soup if you, if your kids prefer.Love this hearty soup? Let me know in the comments below.
Beef Pho
This Beef Pho is a recipe that’s dear to my heart. Almost 20 years ago my hubby and I rode a motorbike around Vietnam and I fell in love with this incredible part of the world, the beautiful people and of course the stunning food. Traditionally the stock would be simmered for a few days…
Prawn Dumpling Noodle Soup
This Prawn Dumpling Noodle Soup is a light and easy to make soup that’s perfect for the warmer months. If you’re not a fan of prawns, you can substitute them for fresh white fish which is just as delicious. The combination of umami and sour with the blanched bok choy, soba noodles and prawn dumplings…
No Chop Pumpkin, Bacon, Sage Soup
Pumpkin soup just got a whole lot easier and more delicious with this No Chop Pumpkin, Bacon, Sage Soup. The best part about this nourishing, veggie rich soup is you don’t need to chop anything up. Simply bake and blend. While the roasting process does take longer than boiling pumpkin in stock, the depth of…
Carrot Coriander Soup
This Carrot Coriander Soup reminds me of the cartons of soup I used to buy for the family I worked for in the UK. In my early 20’s I lived in a small town called Cambridge. I worked as a nanny and even way back then, I used to love cooking for the family I…
Moroccan Sweet Potato Soup
I love a good, hearty soup and this Moroccan Sweet Potato Soup is a delicious, easy to make nourishing bowl of yum. The addition of the spices warms it up supporting digestion and reducing inflammation. Take a look at the variations below the main recipes to adjust the recipe to suit your dietary requirements and…
Healing Chicken and Vegetable Soup
This Healing Chicken and Vegetable Soup is one of the most nutritious and nourishing meals about. Best of all it’s prep to plate in just 30 minutes. It’s one of my go to meals for when anyone in the family feels a bit run down, it really is food for the soul. Health benefits Starting…
Lemony Red Lentil Soup
This delicate, Lemony Red Lentil Soup is super easy to make from basic pantry staples. It’s one of my go-to recipes when I can’t be bothered cooking because it’s so quick and simple whilst tasting divine. If you love the flavour of lemon, you are going to love this soup! Take a look at the…
Quick Pantry Lentil Soup
Sometimes we have to rely on our pantry stores to whip a meal up quickly. This Quick Pantry Lentil Soup is one of my go to meals (along my my Quick and Easy Dhal). I pretty much always have the ingredients in my pantry and it has saved me many times when I’ve been caught short on time and ingredients.
It’s quick and easy to make and is a warming, nourishing bowl of plant based goodness.
Take a look at the variations below the main recipes to adjust the recipe to suit your dietary requirements and taste.
Quick Pantry Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil – extra virgin
- 4 clove/s garlic – minced
- 1 onion/s – diced
- 1 stick/s celery – finely chopped
- 1 carrot/s – diced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 400 g diced tinned tomatoes
- 800 g can brown lentils – (or any lentil of your choice) rinsed, drained
- 500 ml stock or broth – your choice of chicken or vegetable
- ½ tsp sea salt – or to taste
- 50 g baby spinach – or kale or silverbeet
- 200 g full-fat natural yoghurt – to serve
Instructions
- In a medium size pot, add the olive oil, garlic, onion, celery, carrot and spices and saute for 4 minutes over a moderate heat.
- Now add the tomato paste, tomatoes, lentils and broth or stock. If using homemade broth add an extra ½ tsp of sea salt. Bring to a simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add in the spinach and stir for 1 minute until it wilts.
Thermomix
- Start with chopping the garlic – 3 sec, speed 6.
- Then add the onion and celery and chop, 4 seconds speed 5. You can add in the carrot here too, but I prefer to dice it.
- Add the spices and olive oil and cook 4 minutes, 100, speed 1.
- Now add the tomato paste, tomatoes, lentils and broth or stock. If using homemade broth add an extra ½ tsp of sea salt. Cook 20 minutes, 100, speed 2.
Serve
- Divide between four bowls, and serve with a blob of yoghurt.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Make ahead
- Re-heat in a pot over a low heat until just hot.
Notes
Onion-free
Leave out or replace with a small bulb of fennel.Garlic-free
Leave out or replace with a tablespoon garlic oil.Dairy-free
Leave of the yoghurt or replace with coconut yoghurt.This is one of my go to meals in the cooler months. Love to receive your thoughts and comments too (if you could also rate this recipe I’d be extra appreciative).
Healthy Pea and Ham Soup
This is my take on a Dutch style Healthy Pea and Ham soup. I can’t always source good quality ham hocks so I’ve improvised to replicate the flavour combo of smoked meat and legumes that I grew up with, but using a pork chop and bacon instead of the hock.
The result is this tasty, hearty stew like soup that’s more a complete meal than a starter. Whilst it has a long cooking time, it really is a no-fuss, set and forget type meal that my whole family loves. It’s also a very budget friendly meal which is always a bonus.
Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit your specific dietary requirements (including vegan, vegetarian, onion and garlic-free options).
Healthy Pea and Ham Soup
Ingredients
- 200 g dried green split peas (1 cup)
- 1 pork chop -fat trimmed
- 3 rasher/s bacon
- 1 red onion/s (large) diced
- 2 clove/s garlic -diced
- 2 stick/s celery -finely diced
- 1.5 L water
- 1 tsp sea salt - or to taste
- Ground black pepper
- 1 carrot/s (large) finely diced
- 1 potato/s (large) peeled and finely diced
- 1 sweet potato/s (medium) peeled and finely diced
- 30 g baby spinach -or kale (optional) (aapprox. 1 handful)
Instructions
- Soak the split peas overnight in enough water to allow for them to expand. Strain and rinse them very well (in a sieve under running water).
- Place the split peas, pork chops, bacon, onion, garlic, celery and water into a pot and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 mins. Any scum that appears just skim it from the top.
- Then add carrot, potato and sweet potato and simmer slowly for another hour or until the split peas are mushy and the soup has thickened.
- Remove the pork from the bone (it should just fall away). Break any solid bits up and mix through the soup.
- Sir through the leafy greens (if including) and allow them to wilt.
Serve
- Serve with crusty sourdough bread.
Make-ahead
- Re-heat in a pot over a low heat until just hot.
Store
- In an airtight container in the fridge or freezer
Slow Cooker
- This can certainly cooked in a slow cooker. However, as the time and amount of liquid varies between brands of slow cookers, base both on thick soup like recipes in the guide book for your specific slow cooker.
Notes
Onion and garlic-free
Substitute with a small bulb of fennel, diced finely and a pinch of cayenne.Vegan
Omit the bacon and pork and add a tablespoon of smoked paprika and increase the salt to 1 tablespoon. You could also replace the water with vegetable stock if you like.Add more veggies
Feel free to add in extra vegetables if you like. I sometimes add cauliflower and broccoli for the last 5 minutes of cooking.I'd love to hear how you and your family enjoy this recipe. Leave a comment below or rate this recipe.
Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
I’m sure many of you are thinking about forming (or re-forming) healthy habits about now, so, I thought this the best time to share this little gem of a recipe – my Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal (with Cinnamon Yoghurt).
The festive season is one time in the year I stray from my usual clean eating. I’m eating out more often, the change in routine with my kids being on school holidays also throws me, plus, loads of celebrations and gatherings. So I loosen the reigns, relax and enjoy the festivities. These periods of overindulgence are a great reminder why I’m committed to eating well. I get to the point where my energy starts to wane and I just don’t feel right, so I accept that the parties over and re-establish the habits that keep me happy, healthy and energised.
Breakfast is the one meal that ensures I have loads of energy to cook up a storm and eat well throughout the day (and exercise too). With a wholesome brekkie, I go into the day with the mental clarity and energy to make better food choices – it just sets me up for success, not only in the food department, but my work productivity is way better too.
Health benefits
The oats are a fibre packed, mineral rich wholegrain. In herbal medicine oats are a nerve restorative so great for supporting the nervous system function and digestion also. The eggs and milk provide protein for a sustained release of energy. The apple, carrot and spices provides more plant based nutrition and fibre. The yoghurt also supports gut health. What more could you want from brekkie?
More breakfast inspo
Find an awesome range of brekkie inspo in my ebook ‘Rise and Shine a Well Nourished Breakfast‘ – designed with mad morning’s in mind, it will ensure your brekkie is as good as it gets.
Remember to take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit your specific dietary requirements (gluten-free, dairy-free, fructose friendly)
Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal with Cinnamon yoghurt
Ingredients
- 180 g rolled oats (2 cups)
- 1 apple/s -grated
- 2 carrot/s -grated
- 35 g currants (¼ cup)
- 500 ml milk (2 cups) of your choice
- 2 free-range or organic egg/s (these need to be large approx. 80g eggs otherwise use 3 eggs or it won't set quickly)
- 85 g rice malt syrup, honey or maple syrup (¼ cup) optional
- 40 g butter, ghee or coconut oil (3 tablespoons) melted
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla -powder, extract or essence
- 5 g coconut sugar or rapadura (1 tsp)
- 35 g pumpkin seeds, walnuts or pecan nuts (¼ cup) optional
Cinnamon Yoghurt
- 250 g full-fat natural yoghurt (1 cup)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla -essence
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180ºC /350ºF (fan-forced). Grease or line a 20 x 20 (approx.) casserole or baking dish.
- Place the oats, grated apple, grated carrot and currants/raisins into your baking dish and mix to roughly combine.
- In a blender, food processor or jug/bowl, mix/whisk the milk, eggs, sweetener, melted butter, cinnamon and vanilla until well combined.
- Pour over the oats/ carrot mix and top with the sugar (and optional pumpkin seeds, walnuts or pecan nuts).
- Place in the oven for around 25-30 minutes or until it is set (just firm in the middle).
- Whilst it’s cooking, make the spiced yoghurt by combining all of the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.
- When the oatmeal is cooked, enjoy immediately (with the spiced yoghurt) or cool and slice into portions to store.
Thermomix instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180ºC /350ºF. Grease or line a 20 x 20 (approx.) casserole or baking dish.
- Grate the carrots, 5 seconds, speed 4. Add to the dish. Now grate the apple, 3 seconds, speed 4.
- Add the oats, currants/raisins into your baking dish and mix to roughly combine.
- Without rinsing the Thermomix bowl, melt the butter, 1 min, 90, speed 4. Add the milk, eggs, sweetener, cinnamon and vanilla. Mix 30 seconds, speed 5 until well combined.
- Pour over the oats/ carrot mix and top with the sugar (and optional pumpkin seeds, walnuts or pecan nuts).
- Place in the oven for around 25-30 minutes or until it is set (just firm in the middle).
- Rinse the Thermo bowl. Add the spiced yoghurt ingredients and blend, 20 seconds, speed 3.
- When the oatmeal is cooked, enjoy immediately (with the spiced yoghurt) or cool and slice into portions to store.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
Recipe notes
You can certainly vary the kinds of fruit you use, for example substituting the apple with pear. You can also slice seasonal fruit and place on top to bake.Dairy-free
Choose coconut milk as your sweetener and replace the butter with coconut oil. Replace the yoghurt with coconut yoghurt.Gluten-free
Replace the oats with rolled quinoa flakes.Fructose friendly
Omit the dried fruit and choose rice malt syrup as your sweetener.Nut-free
Omit the nuts or choose the pumpkin seeds.Vegan and egg-free
Use the dairy-free options and replace the eggs with chia or flax eggs.Make ahead
You can make this ahead and simply bake in the morning. Left-overs can be enjoyed cold or re-heated.I'd love to hear how you love this recipe. Does a good breakfast set you up for a productive, focussed, healthy day?
Vietnamese Meatball Soup
This Vietnamese Meatball Soup recipe has become a bit of a staple this winter. Mainly because it’s delicious, easy and quick to make (and it can be customised to include what ever vegetables you have in your fridge). It’s also jam packed with immune supportive ingredients which is so handy at this time of the year.
My 14 year old daughter is a budding singer/ songwriter (you can hear her sing on Youtube, Instagram or Facebook) pages. I was talking to her the other day about her inspirations for the lyrics in her songs (which for her age are often very deep). She said she wrote lyrics based on stories or experiences she’s heard about or perhaps a feeling or emotion she’s felt. It got me thinking about how I come up with recipes and I discovered how similar our origins for creativity are. For me a recipe comes to pass based on flavours I’ve enjoyed (generally eating out or when travelling far away places) or based on what I feel like eating (often something my body craves).
In the case of this recipe it was a bit of both – I’ve traveled a lot of Asia (hubby and I backpacked South East Asia, India and Nepal for a year before kids) and I have memories of eating a soup like this in Vietnam. Also, through these colder months, my body has been craving the warming, immune supportive spices in this dish. Creativity comes in so many shapes and forms, for me cooking is one of my favourite creative releases.
Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit your specific dietary goals.
Vietnamese Meatball Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp ginger root - finely grated
- 3 clove/s garlic - finely grated or crushed
- 750 ml chicken stock or bone broth (3 cups)
- 400 ml canned coconut milk
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar or rapadura
- 4 kaffir lime leaves - vein removed and thinly sliced
- 6-8 spring onion/s - white part sliced
- Vegetables (of choice to add to soup) (optional) sliced very small is best so they cook quickly. I generally add whatever I have at the time, often broccoli, carrot, snow peas, shiitake mushrooms, and a handful of kale or baby spinach added right at the end.
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- ¼ bunch/s fresh coriander leaves - to serve
- Chilli flakes - to serve
Meatballs
- 1 cm ginger root - finely grated
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves - finely chopped
- 1 carrot/s - finely grated
- 500 g chicken mince
- 1 tbsp coconut flour
- 1 tsp sea salt
- Ground black pepper - to taste
- 1 lime/s (large) zest only (add juice to soup to finish)
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the coconut oil. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for a minute until the garlic just starts softening.
- Now add the chicken broth, coconut milk, turmeric, fish sauce, coconut sugar, kaffir lime leaves and spring onion and bring to a rolling simmer.
- Whilst that's heating, make your meatballs by putting the ginger, coriander, grated carrot, chicken mince, coconut flour, sea salt, black pepper, lime zest, into a large bowl. Mix together until well combined and form into golf sized balls.
- When the soup comes to a rolling simmer, add the meatballs and allow to cook for 5 minutes or so until cooked through (the larger the meatballs the longer they will need).
- If you are adding vegetables, carefully remove the meatballs and divide between the serving bowls and add the vegetables to the soup to blanch them for a couple of minutes (take care not to over cook them). Divide the vegetables between the bowls.
- Lastly, add the lime juice to the soup, taste and add more seasoning if needed (salt and black pepper).
- Divide the soup between the bowls, garnish with the coriander and serve with chilli flakes.
Thermomix
- Start with the meatballs. If you are going to make your own chicken mince, do this first and set aside.
- Chop the ginger and coriander, 5 seconds, speed 8. Add the carrot 10 seconds, speed 8.
- Add the chicken mince, coconut flour, sea salt, black pepper, lime zest, mix 30 seconds, reverse speed 2 (you may need to scrape the sides during the mixing) - make sure it is well combined and form into golf sized balls. Set aside.
- Now start the soup. Mince the ginger and garlic, 5 seconds, speed 8.
- At this point I transfer it to a pot as the blades will break up the meatballs when cooking them. Continue from step 4 in the method above.
Make-ahead
- Re-heat in a pot over a low heat until just hot.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Can also be frozen.
Notes
Garlic-free
Omit and replace with a pinch of chilli flakes.Onion-free
Omit the spring onions.Seafood-free
Replace the fish sauce with a teaspoon of sea salt.Home made Chicken Bone Broth
Recipe HEREDifferent meatball
You can also sub the chicken for pork or turkey.Vegetarian
Sub the chicken broth for vegetable broth and the meatballs for cubes of firm organic tofu.Add noodles
If my tribe are extra hungry, I cook up brown rice noodles, strain and divide between bowls. Then just add the above to it when ready (it heats the noodles). .I'd love to hear how you enjoy this delicious, nourishing meal - post a comment or help it to reach more people by rating the recipe.
Easy Lamb Harira
Hearty stews and soups, especially when they contain warming herbs and spices are super nourishing in the winter time. This Lamb Harira can be prepared in 15 minutes in just one casserole dish, then it’s into the oven to slowly braise. Set and forget is my type of cooking! You can also adapt this delicious soup come stew to cook in your slow cooker if you have one.
Health benefits
This is one nutritionally balanced meal – lots of plant based fibre and available protein thanks to the lamb (on the bone) and broth. The addition of the spices further supports the digestive and immune systems, with a boost of liver supporting greens (kale and parsley or coriander) to finish it off.
Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit your specific dietary requirements. There are also instructions to make it vegetarian too!
Lamb Harira
Ingredients
- 1 onion/s (large) diced
- 4 clove/s garlic -chopped
- 2 carrot/s (large) diced
- 2 stick/s celery -diced
- 1 sweet potato/s -peeled and diced
- 680 g tomato passata (puree)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 200 g puy (French) lentils (1 cup)
- 100 g split red lentils (½ cup)
- 1 tsp sea salt - or to taste
- Ground black pepper
- 1 ltr chicken stock or bone broth
- 2 lamb shanks
- 1 bunch/s kale -leaves torn off the stems (stems diced)
- ½ bunch/s fresh coriander leaves -or flat leaf parsley leaves, to serve
- 1 lemon/s -cut into quarters, to serve
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 250℃/480℉ (fan-forced).
- In a large oven proof casserole dish with lid, add all of the ingredients except the shanks and kale (add the stems though).
- Mix well to combine. Add the shanks and submerge them in the liquid.
- Cover the dish (with a lid or foil) and put in the oven, turning the temperature down to 150℃/300℉ immediately. *
- Cook for 3-4 hours or until the lamb falls off the bone.
- Remove the dish from the oven, stir in the kale, replace the lid and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes so the kale wilts.
Slow Cooker
- This can certainly cooked in a slow cooker. However, as the speed and temperature varies between the many brands of slow cookers, base the amount of liquid you add and the cook time on a similar style of recipe in the guide book for your specific slow cooker. The general rule of thumb is to halve the liquid and double the cook time, but understanding your own slow cooker is the best guide.
Serve
- With a wedge of lime and garnished with coriander or parsley.
Make-ahead
- Re-heat in a pot over a low heat until just hot.
Store
- If you are storing or freezing it, strip the meat from the bones of the shanks and discard the bones (or freeze them to re-use to make a bone broth - there will still be some goodness remaining).
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
- You may need to add more liquid (water or stock) when reheating.
Notes
Vegetarian and Vegan Harira
Replace the lamb with 250grams (approx. 2 cups) diced mushrooms (or chickpeas) and the bone broth with vegetable stock. Cook for 2-3 hours.Onion and Garlic-free
Replace both with finely diced fennel, a extra teaspoon of cumin and chilli powder to taste.Make it spicy
You can serve this with chilli flakes - we always do.Leftovers
Leftovers are fabulous the next day and this is a great dish to make ahead or freeze (in an airtight container). My kids love it in a thermos for their school lunch.I'd love to hear how you and your family enjoy this delicious, super nourishing meal. Let me know what you think- post a comment below and rate this recipe!
Creamy Potato Apple Soup
Well there’s a distinct change in the weather, even here in sunny Queensland with a little bit of a chill in the air in the evening and morning. Autumn and winter are my favourite seasons here on the Gold Coast, the skies are blue, the days are dry and sunny – way more comfortable for this old girl than the humidity of our summer (now I’m sounding like my mother ha ha).
Which brings me to this budget friendly, quick and easy to make, nourishing soup. It’s a little winter warmer to mark the change in season as I LOVE me a bowl of soup.
I actually developed this recipe recently to support a great community program by The Fruit Box called The One Box – where fresh produce is purchased directly from local markets and suppliers and distributed to families doing it tough. I worked with a list of the ingredients available in the box and I came up with four recipes (using at least four ingredients available in the box – depending on seasonal availability). The Fruit Box then print my recipes onto beautiful designed recipe cards and distribute with the box. So the families receiving the food boxes not only get a box full of nourishment, but some recipe inspiration to turn the goodies into a delicious, nourishing meal.
So for this recipe, the ingredients I chose from what was available were onion, celery, potato and milk…and this simple soup was born!
Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit your specific dietary requirements. I’ve also included a Thermomix method for you too.
Creamy Potato Apple Soup
Ingredients
- 30 g butter or olive oil
- 1 large onion/s -peeled and roughly diced
- 2 clove/s garlic -peeled and sliced
- 2 stick/s celery -cut into pieces
- 2 potato/s (medium) (approx. 300g) peeled and diced
- 1 sweet potato/s (small) (approx. 100g) peeled and diced
- 2 Granny Smith apples (small) (approx.100g) peeled and diced
- 370 ml chicken stock or bone broth (1½ cups) or vegetable stock
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper -to taste
- 60 ml milk (¼ cup) of your choice
Instructions
- In a large pot add the butter or oil with the onion, garlic and celery. Sauté over a low to medium heat for 5 minutes or so until the onion starts to soften.
- Add the potatoes, sweet potato, apples and broth or stock. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a high simmer. Cook until the potato is soft and falls apart (when skewered with a knife or fork).
- Allow to cool a little, add the milk and blend with a stick blender or in blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.
Thermomix
- Chop the onion, garlic and celery 5 seconds speed 5.
- Add the butter or olive oil and cook 5 mins, 100, speed 1.
- Add the potatoes, sweet potatoes, apple and broth or stock.
- Cook 15 mins, speed spoon, 100.
- Remove the lid and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Add the milk and blend 30 seconds, speed 5-6 (take care to gradually increase the speed).
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Make-ahead
- Re-heat in a pot over a low heat until just hot.
Notes
Dairy-free
Choose olive oil and a nut milk.Vegetarian and vegan
Use vegetable stock and for vegan the dairy-free variations.Onion-free
Replace the onion with fennel, finely chopped and sautéed as above.Garlic-free
Replace the garlic with a pinch of cumin and cayenne pepper.I'd love to hear how you enjoyed this soup. You can post a comment below and let me know.
Healthy Instant Noodles
Last week I wrote about snacking and listed some of my kids favourite after school snacks. You can catch up here. So this week I thought it appropriate that I share their absolute favourite snack – my healthy version of those awful, fake instant noodles (or noodle cups).
Instant noodles are a perfect example of not what to eat – heavily processed, nutritionally void, packaged…I can’t even call it ‘food’. As I wrote last week, every time you feed your kids, it’s an opportunity to nourish them and improve their health and wellbeing, not promote illness and disease.
Just today my hairdresser told me that she educates her young children about good and not so good food choices by explaining that some food is ‘tricky’ – that is, it tastes good and tricks you into feeling like eating more (that your brain convinces you it’s ‘not so bad’). I thought this was just a brilliant analogy and a great way to explain and educate kids about widely available, well marketed processed foods.
Anyhow, now for my polar opposite version of instant noodles. I’ve shared the basic recipe, but as a well liked food, it’s a great opportunity to increase it’s nutritional value by adding a few nutrient and flavour ‘boosters’ (for which I’ve also made suggestions).
Healthy Instant Noodles
Ingredients
- 250 ml chicken stock or bone broth (1 cup)
- 100 g noodles (I've used gluten-free brown rice noodles here, but you could use any type of good quality noodle or zoodles for grain-free)
- Pinch sea salt
I make big pots of broth and freeze it in recycled jars to defrost and enjoy as needed.
Instructions
- In a small pot bring about 4 cups of water to the boil. Add the noodles and cook until just cooked. How long you cook (or soak) for will depend on the type of noodle you choose (follow the directions on the pack).
- Drain and rinse well. Add to a bowl or thermos.
- Now heat your broth (recipe and more info about its goodness here) in the pot until hot, season and pour over the noodles.
Notes
Boost with…
- We love adding grated parmesan (or cheddar) to ours, so yum (for dairy-free use nutritional yeast).
- Spring onion is delicious (unless you are onion-free)!
- Herbs or leafy greens like baby spinach or kale can be added to the broth at the very end of cooking to wilt.
- If there’s a vegetable your kids like, add it. I often add sliced mushrooms, broccoli or carrot (into the broth to cook).
- Add an egg beaten and drizzled through the hot broth to form egg ribbons (to add protein).
- Add any leftover chicken meat, tofu, legumes etc (also to add protein).
- Add garlic and/or ginger for an immune boost (or just ginger if you are garlic-free).
Vegetarian and vegan
Replace the bone broth with a home made vegetable stock.In the Thermos
If keeping in a thermos or setting aside to be eaten later, remember the noodles will continue cooking (and gluten free noodles will go very soggy). So if this is your plan, under cook the noodles or add them to the broth uncooked and by the time the thermos is opened they will be cooked.Enjoy – what do you suggest to ‘boost’ the nourishment in this snack?
Mexican Minestrone
Loaded with vegetables and plant powered fibre, my next twist on Jamie Oliver’s “10 recipes to save your life” is a Mexican Minestrone. It may be a soup, but trust me this is no starter!
As part of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, I was one of 10 people selected world-wide to put my spin on 10 of Jamie’s favourite staple recipes. This is #7, my twist on Jamie’s ‘Minestrone’
Health benefits
The massive variety of seasonal vegetables combined with black beans is enough to make this Mexican Minestrone a very healthy, fibre loaded meal. If you use a homemade bone broth for the stock, then you are going to derive even more nutrition from this minestrone. For more about the healing powers of bone broth, see here.
Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit many specific dietary requirements.
Mexican Minestrone
Ingredients
- 2 onion/s - diced
- 2 stick/s celery - finely sliced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 drop/s tabasco - to taste (optional)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- 2 clove/s garlic - finely diced
- 2 carrot/s (large) finely diced
- 1 L stock or broth (chicken, beef or vegetable)
- 800 g diced tinned tomatoes (2 cans)
- 1 zucchini/s - diced
- 1 red capsicum/s (red pepper), diced
- 2 can black beans - drained and rinsed
- 60 g greens (spinach, kale, silver beet, chard) - whatever's in-season (2 cups approx.)
- ½ bunch/s fresh coriander leaves - to serve
Quick guacamole
- 1 avocado/s (large)
- 1 tbsp full-fat natural yoghurt
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- ½ lime/s (small) juice
Instructions
- In a large pot, add a splash of olive oil and sweat the onion and celery over a medium heat, covered for 5 minutes or until starting to soften.
- Add the paprika, cumin and sea salt and stir for a few minutes until you smell the spices.
- Add the optional tabasco, garlic and carrots and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Now add the stock and tomatoes and bring to a slow simmer.
- Add the zucchini, capsicum and black beans and simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are just cooked. Taste and adjust the seasoning and spiciness.
- Make your guacamole by mashing your avocado and mixing through the yogurt, seasoning and lime juice.
- Lastly add the greens and cook until they are just wilted (only a few minutes).
Serve
- Serve immediately topped with a dollop of guacamole and fresh coriander leaves.
Make-ahead
- Re-heat in a pot over a low heat until just hot.
Store
- Store soup in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
- Store guacomole in an airtight container (squueze over extra lime juice) in the fridge.
Notes
Veggie fussy kids
You can always puree part or all of the soup - out of sight out of mind works for many kids.Vegetarian and Vegan
Choose vegetable stock, omit the yoghurt from the guacamole.Legume-free
Omit the beans.Garlic and onion-free
Replace the onion with one small fennel bulb, finely chopped. Replace the garlic with a tsp of cumin powder and a pinch of chilli flakes.I'd love to hear how you like this Mexican Minestrone? Post a comment below and let me know.
Zucchini, Mint, Feta Soup (in just ten minutes)
One vegetable my kids really dislike is zucchini (or spew-kini as they like to call it). For those of you who have followed me for a while, you’ll know that my kids have a great appetite for whole foods and genuinely love a wide range of vegetables. One of the reasons this is the case is because no matter what, I have and always will, persist with offering them vegetables, even the ones previously proclaimed ‘gross’!
Spew-Kini or not, they eat zucchini most days because it sits well behind other flavours, undetected. But not one to hide every unliked vegetable (more about why hiding food is not the best approach here), I also regularly present it in its whole form and like with this soup, often they surprise me and love it. This Zucchini Salad is another surprise favourite (apparently raw is less like ‘spew’)
The best part about this soup is that it is incredibly quick and easy to make and the result is surprisingly very tasty (because lets face it, it’s not the most flavoursome veggie).
Health benefits
Zucchini (also know as courgette), is extremely low in calories and loaded with fibre. It is also a great source of potassium. When combined with mint and home-brewed bone broth, it is a fabulous digestive tonic, perfect for keeping those important good bugs happy, happy.
Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit many specific dietary requirements.
Zucchini, Mint, Feta Soup
Ingredients
- 1 onion/s - diced
- 1 clove/s garlic - crushed or diced
- 300 g zucchini/s - diced
- 250 ml chicken stock or bone broth (1 cup)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- ¼ bunch/s fresh mint leaves - picked from the stems
- 90 g feta cheese - crumbled (½ cup)
Instructions
- In a medium sized pot, sauté your onion in a little olive oil, butter or ghee for about 2 minutes.
- Add your garlic, diced zucchini, broth and seasoning and bring to the boil. Cook at a rolling simmer for 7-10minutes or until the zucchini has softened.
- Allow to cool a little, add the mint and then puree in a blender until smooth and creamy.
- Serve with a dollop (or crumble) of feta and more seasoning (if needed).
Thermomix Method
- Chop the onion and garlic, 5 seconds, speed 4.
- Add the fat of your choice and sauté the onion for 2 minutes, temp 100, speed 1.
- Add the zucchini and process 5 seconds, speed 5.
- Add the broth and seasoning and cook for 8 minutes, 100, speed 2.
- Allow to cool a little, add the mint and puree 30 seconds, speed 7-8.
- Serve as above.
Make-ahead
- Re-heat in a pot over a low heat until just hot.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
Vegetarian
Use vegetable broth (stock) instead of the chicken stock.Dairy-free
Omit the feta or replace with cashew cheese or coconut yoghurt. Choose olive oil to cook in.Vegan
As per vegetarian and dairy-free above.Onion and garlic-free
Replace the onion and garlic with a small bulb of fennel, finely diced and sautéed with a pinch of cumin and chilli flakes.Let me know how you like this simple soup. Post a comment below.
Meatballs & Kale In Lemony Garlic Broth
This weeks cracking Meatballs & Kale In Lemony Garlic Broth recipe is thanks to my lovely friend Irena Macri from Irena Macri | Food Fit For Life. I’m a huge fan of Irena’s work – her recipes are delicious, nutritionally balanced, easy to make.
This recipe is super popular for very good reason!
Meatballs and Kale in a Lemony Broth
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- ½ leek (pale part), roughly cut (or 2 spring onions)
- ¼ bunch/s fresh parsley leaves (about 10 g)
- ¼ bunch/s fresh mint leaves (optional)
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme leaves (1 tablespoon approx.)
- 1 clove/s garlic
- 1 lime/s -zest
- 600 g ground mince (Turkey, chicken or pork mince can be used in this recipe. Even fish would work really well with the flavours of the soup. If you can’t find ground up chicken or turkey mince, get some thighs, skin/ bone off and grind it up using a food processor)
- 1 tsp sea salt - or to taste
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp butter, ghee or coconut oil
For the soup
- 2 tbsp olive oil - extra virgin
- ½ leek (green and pale part)
- 1 lemon/s (5 peels of the skin)
- 1 carrot/s (large) peeled and diced into halves
- 1 potato/s (large) peeled and diced into small cubes
- 3 clove/s garlic - sliced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 star anise
- 750 ml chicken stock or bone broth (3 cups)
- 1½ tbsp fish sauce
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- 10-12 stem/s kale - torn off the stem and into smaller pieces
- ½ lime/s - juice
- ½ lemon/s - juice (approx. 2 tablespoons)
Instructions
- If you have a food processor, place leeks, parsley, mint, thyme, garlic, and lime zest inside with an S-blade on. Blitz a few times, until the ingredients are finely ground up. Thermomix 10 seconds, speed 5. Alternatively, chop everything very finely using a knife.
- Transfer to a large mixing bowl together with the mince, salt and pepper. Mix really well, until well incorporated. Thermomix, 40 seconds reverse speed 3 (you may need to use the spatula to help mix it through).
- Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Roll the mixture into small meatballs, about 20g each, smaller than a Ping-Pong ball. Fry the meatballs for 7-8 minutes, turning them throughout so they go golden-brown on all sides.
- In the meantime, add the olive oil, the other part of the leek, lemon peel, carrot and potato to a medium saucepan. Sauté for a few minutes, then add the garlic, cumin, star anise, chicken stock and fish sauce. Season with some salt and pepper and bring to boil.
- Add the meatballs and cook over medium heat, covered, for 3-4 minutes. Prepare the kale and add to the soup, stir through and cook for a further 5 minutes, covered. Test the potato and once soft, remove from the heat and add the lime and lemon juice.
- Stir and taste for salt. Let it sit for 5 minutes off the heat before serving.
Make-ahead
- Re-heat in a pot over a low heat until just hot.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.