Moroccan Carrot Soup

Serves 6

A few weeks ago we landed in Marrakech, where the evening temperature was 118F/48C degrees! Needless to say that this chilled soup was the perfect dish to cool down on. It is very easy to prepare and not only a nice starter but also a great, healthy snack in between meals.

Ingredients

3 cups/750ml of orange juice

2 cups/280gr of carrots, washed & finely grated

½  cucumber, peeled & finely grated

1 tbsp. of raw cane sugar

a pinch of cinnamon

Preparation

Wash and finely grate the carrots, peel and finely grate the cucumber and mix together in a bowl. Pour in the orange juice and mix in one tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. Refrigerate the soup for at least two hours before serving. The soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Bon Appetite 😉

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Soba Miso Soup with Edamame, Shiitake & Tofu

Serves 3

Last week we moved to a new house, the fourth time since 2008. I love the exciting live we life, love the house but with a family of five, it’s quite a schlep!

To make sure we get the right nutrition in hectic times, this vegetarian soup is perfect. It truly is a superfoods soup containing lots of protein, minerals and vitamins. It’s not only healthy but simple delicious too.

So if you are busy but still want something good: this is the answer. Enjoy.

Ingredients

3 bundles of soba (buckwheat) noodles

1 tbsp. of sesame oil

2 shallots, minced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tsp. of ground ginger

3 cups/ 750ml Dashi  Stock

2 tbsp.  White Miso

½ block of firm Tofu, diced

2 Green Onions/Scallions, finely sliced diagonally

1 Carrot, thinly sliced

1 cup/ 155g frozen or fresh Edamame

100g /6 Shiitake Mushrooms, cut into big chunks

2 tbsp. of Soya

Preparation

Set a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the sesame oil and heat for 1 minute. Sauté the shallots and when they are about done add the minced garlic.  Once translucent add the sliced carrot and one teaspoon of ground ginger. Toss the ingredients until the carrots are covered with shallot, garlic and ginger and cook for a few minutes.

Add dashi stock to pot and bring to boil. Once boiling reduce the heat, and add the edamame, shiitake mushrooms and tofu. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Add the soba noodles and cook until tender. Drain with a colander and run under cold water, set the noodles aside.

Scoop out one ladle of soup and dissolve 2 tablespoons of miso in it by whisking it to a smooth consistency.  If you try to dissolve the miso in the soup directly, it might clump together.

Once the miso is dissolved return it to the broth and simmer for a few minutes. Be careful not to boil the soup after adding the miso.

Season the soup with some soya. Divide the soba noodles among the bowls, ladle soup on top and garnish with green onions. Serve immediately.

Bon Appetite 😉

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Turkish Red Lentil Soup/Mercimek Çorbasi

Serves 4

Growing up in a family where soup is such an important and well-loved dish can be pretty hard if you are a ten year old and not that fond of soup. My dear son Duncan often comes running into the kitchen asking me ‘What’s for dinner?’ Before I can answer him he in general says ‘Again???’ So when he told me this soup was a winner and should definitely be in the top five, I was over the moon 🙂

This version of Turkish lentil soup is home cooking at its best: healthy, hearty, easy and scrumptious delicious.  I prefer to use (organic) red split lentils as they cook quicker than regular lentils. This soup is perfect to serve as a main meal by adding a piece of Turkish pide bread and a salad.

Ingredients

2 tbsp.  of olive oil

200g/1cup of red split lentils, washed and drained

1 red onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 large carrot, diced

1L of vegetable stock

1 tsp. of ground cumin

1 tsp. of ground paprika

Salt & black pepper

1 lemon, cut into wedges

2 tbsp. of tomato purée

Fresh mint for garnish

Preparation

Heat the olive oil on medium heat in your stockpot. Sauté the onion and when they are about done add the garlic, diced carrot, one teaspoon of ground cumin, one teaspoon of ground paprika and 2 tablespoons of tomato purée. Toss the ingredients until all ingredients are covered with the flavour of each item and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the washed and drained lentils, pour in your stock and bring to boil. Once boiling reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until the carrots and lentils are tender.

Turn off the heat and let the soup cool down for a few minutes. Place all but 3 cups of the soup into a blender or food processor and blend.  Return the pureed soup to your pan and stir in the reserved cups of soup.  Season to taste with salt and coarsely ground pepper.

Serve each bowl with a lemon wedge and garnish with fresh mint.

Bon Appetite 😉

Portuguese Vegetable Soup

Serves 6-8

While visiting my dear friend Beatriz the other day, she served this delicious soup as a starter for a lovely luncheon. This soup has a beautiful subtle flavour and you do not realise that you are consuming such a large number of vegetables.  It has a nice creamy texture, but it actually does not contain any cream in the ingredients.  This soup is perfect for all age groups as it does not have an overwhelming vegetable flavor – so the children will not protest.   Great for lunch or a light dinner as it is very satisfying, especially with a piece of crusty farm bread.

 

Ingredients

2L of water or vegetable stock

1 white onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic

400g of carrots, roughly chopped

200g of butternut squash, roughly chopped

1 leek, roughly chopped

2 small potatoes, diced

2 small turnips, diced

1 courgette/zucchini, sliced

200g of  canned chick peas, washed and drained

Salt & black pepper, to taste

2 tbs. Olive oil

4 handfuls of spinach

Preparation

Fill your stockpot with 2L of water or stock and bring to a boil. Dice all the vegetables, except the spinach and chick peas.

Add the onion, garlic, carrots, butternut squash, potatoes, turnips, courgette and chickpeas to the boiling water. Keep the spinach aside. Add the olive oil and some salt.

Once boiling reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the carrots are very tender (as in general all the other veggies are done too).

Turn off the heat and let the soup cool down for a few minutes. In the meantime cook the spinach separately for a few minutes, then drain and set aside while blending all the other ingredients.

Return the soup to a clean pan and season to taste with salt and black pepper.  If you like the soup slightly thinner you could add a bit more water or vegetable stock.

When ready to serve, bring back to a simmer, mix in the spinach and ladle in to bowls. Serve with a crusty piece of farm bread.

Bon Appetite 😉

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Carrot Soup

Serves 6-8

This was the first soup recipe my mom gave me, when I moved out of my parents’ home. It’s a great simple recipe and really helpful for people who are new to making soups. The funny thing is, even if you are not too fond of carrots, you will love this. This soup is also a very easy way to getting children to enjoy their veggies 😉

Ingredients

3 tbsp. butter

1 white onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 Kg carrots, roughly chopped

2 tsp. clear honey

1.5 L vegetable stock

25g of curly leaf parsley, chopped

salt

black pepper, coarsely ground

Optional:

crème fraîche

Preparation

Melt the butter on medium heat in your stockpot. Sauté the onions and when they are about done add the garlic.  Once translucent add the roughly chopped carrots and honey. Toss the ingredients until all carrots are covered with honey, onion and garlic and cook for 5 mins.

Pour in your stock and bring to boil. Once boiling reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the carrots are very tender.

Turn off the heat and let the soup cool down for a few minutes. Then purée the ingredients with a hand blender in the stockpot or puree in batches in your blender.  Return the soup to a clean pan and season to taste with salt and coarsely ground pepper.

When ready to serve, bring back to a simmer and ladle into bowls.  Add the fresh leaf parsley, it really complements the soup, and if you like a swirl of  crème fraîche .

Bon Appetite 😉