Homemade carrot and lentil soup

Hey Everyone, I hope your day has been well.

Today I’m sharing another vegetarian dish I made recently. A deliciously warming, carrot and lentil soup. I’ve added extra vegetables like sweetcorn, peas, and kale just to give the soup more depth and overall it’s really nice.

It’s warmed up quite a bit now we are almost coming to the end of March but I’ll still make a soup every now and then. This soup has a nice crunchy layer on top from the nuts and seeds, the soup itself was not as thick as I would have liked so perhaps next time I will blend the mixture before adding the final vegetables. Overall, it was a nice dish, very filling and lots of flavour.

Makes 2 portions

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter

1/4 onion, diced

1 tsp garlic puree

Sprinkle of paprika, turmeric and cumin

1 tsp tomato puree

300g carrots, grated

70g green lentils, soaked for a few hours

500ml vegetable stock

50ml coconut milk

Sprinkle of chilli powder (optional)

Handful of sweetcorn, peas and kale

Walnuts, pinenuts and sesame seeds

Methods

• Heat the butter in a pot and once hot, add the onion cooking until soft.
• Next add the garlic, tomato puree, paprika, turmeric and cumin.
• Stir in the carrot, lentils, stock, milk and chilli powder leaving on a gentle simmer for 10-15 minutes until the lentils are fully cooked (it also depends how soft you want them)
• Sprinkle in some chilli powder and a handful of sweetcorn, peas and kale leaving on a low heat for a few minutes.
• Finally serve in a bowl and sprinkle over with the nuts and seeds. Enjoy!

What’s your favourite type of vegetable soup?

Thanks for reading, A

Homemade chips and salad

Hey Everyone, I hope your day has been well.

Ever since I got this air fryer, I can’t get enough of homemade chips. They use way less oil and still taste really good. This is a nice meal perfect for lunch or dinner when you just want something quick and simple. I always enjoy making salads, it was like a Sunday tradition in my house growing up and now I like experimenting with different preparation style so it never gets boring. I don’t tend to use salad dressings but a squirt or tomato, barbecue sauce on the chips was enough for me.

For a similar chip, you can boil for a few minutes and finishing cooking in the oven with a little oil. Also, you can use any of your preferred salads and add more if you want to get your full portion sizes in.

Makes 1 portion

Cooking time approx: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 large potato, peeled, washed and cut into chips

Spray oil

Sprinkle of salt and black pepper

3 radishes, washed and sliced

1/2 carrot, washed and peeled

3 lettuce leaves, washed and chopped

Sauce

Method

• Peel, wash and chop the potatoes into chip shapes then leave to air dry on kitchen paper.
• Spray the potatoes with a little oil and sprinkle over some salt and pepper.
• Place the chips into the air fryer and cook according to the preferred instructions.
• In the meantime prepare the salad and set aside.
• Once the chips are done, place on a plate along with the salad and a dollop of your favourite sauce and enjoy.

Thanks for reading, A

What’s your go to sauce with chips?

Pasta, prawns and vegetables

Hey Everyone, I hope your day has been well.

Today I’m sharing a tasty pasta recipe filled with a colourful selection of vegetables. There loads of different textures going on in this dish and I love the crunchy green beans and carrots. Pasta is usually a staple in most homes and you could really use leftover vegetables or any that are about to go off. It’s kind of stir fry inspired but without the noodles. I’ve added sweet chilli sauce for flavour but you could always opt for a peanut or garlic type of sauce depending on what you like. Something quick and easy to make if you are on a low budget or short for time.

Makes 1 portion

Ingredients

1 small portion on fusilli pasta

1 tsp oil

Handful of green beans, chopped

2 cabbage leaves, shredded

1/3 carrot, peeled and cut into sticks

Sprinkle of salt

2 heaped tbsp sweetcorn

2 heaped tbsp peas

Handful of prawns

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

1 tsp sesame seeds

Method

• Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, drain and set aside.
• In the meantime prepare the vegetables and heat the oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add the beans, cabbage and carrot. Sprinkle over some salt and a splash of water, covering with a lid to cook for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
• Next mix in the sweetcorn, peas, prawns and sweet chilli sauce. Keep on a low heat for 3-4 minutes until everything is fully cooked.
• Once the pasta is cooked, mix into the vegetable mix and turn off the heat.
• Serve the pasta in your favourite bowl, sprinkle over the sesame seeds and enjoy.

What’s your favourite pasta dish?

Thanks for reading, A

Cheesy mash potatoes with vegetables

Hey Everyone, I hope your day has been well.

I’m back with another recipe. This dish is nice and simple, especially for those long days when you can’t be bothered to cook but feel like something hearty that you will enjoy. Using potatoes is always a great idea, so versatile and require minimal effort along with a colourful range of vegetables to get a good variety of nutrients into your meal.

For some different options, you could use sweet potato instead of Irish potato or cauliflower instead of broccoli which ever you prefer.

Makes 1 portion

Cooking time approx: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 medium potatoes, peeled, chopped and washed

25g mature cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 tsp oil

1/2 shallot, diced

1 sweet mini red pepper, diced

1 handful of broccoli, cut into florets

Sprinkle of salt, garlic powder and black pepper

2 heaped tbsp of sweetcorn

2 heaped tbsp of peas

Method

• Firstly, prepare the potatoes by peeling, washing and chopping. Place in a pan of water and leave to boil until fully cooked and slight soft.
• Whilst the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a pan and add the shallots once hot cooking for a few minutes until slightly softened.
• Next, add the pepper and broccoli along with a splash of water and a sprinkle of salt, garlic and pepper mixing well. Leave on a gentle heat for 5 minutes.
• Mix in the sweetcorn, peas and maybe some more water leaving for a further 3-4 minutes until the broccoli is fully cooked.
• Once the potatoes are done, drain the water and mash along with the grated cheese until smooth and creamy.
• Serve the potatoes and vegetables together, then enjoy.

What foods do you usually eat with mashed potatoes?

Thanks for reading, A

Garlic chilli green beans and prawns

Hey Everyone, I hope your day has been well.

Today I felt like something light for my dinner so I opted for veg and prawns but you could always add a small portion of noodles or rice for those carbs. You’ll get a nice crunch from the cashew nuts and some spice from the cayenne pepper.

This was a really tasty dish, filling and perfect for a spring evening meal.

Ingredients

Small handful of cashew nuts

Tbsp desiccated coconut

Oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 portion of green beans, trimmed and cut in 1/3

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1/2 tsp coconut/brown sugar

Sprinkle of chilli powders

Sprinkle of salt

1 portion of prawns

Handful of kale

1/3 spring onion, sliced

50ml veg stock

1/2 tsp tomato puree

Method

• Toast the cashew nuts in a dry pan for a couple minutes each side. Add the desiccated coconut for 30 seconds before setting aside on a plate along with the sesame seeds.
• Add a little drop of oil to the same pan with the green beans, garlic and a splash of water, covering with a kid for 4-5 minutes.
• Next, add the sugar, chilli and salt before mixing in the kale, spring onion and prawns. Cooking for a few minutes until the prawns are fully warmed through.
• Mix in some veg stock and tomato puree for a final minute.
• Plate up the prawn dish and sprinkle over the cashew mix before eating!

Thanks for reading, A.