Mum's Minestrone Soup

As a young child, I was an incredibly fussy eater and vegetables were not my friend.  My mum tried everything to get me to eat (or at least try) vegetables, but I often flatly refused unless they were covered in cheese, and even then, I'd still pick at my plate.  I don't remember how old I was, but one day I was in bed with flu and my mum made me a bowl of this Minestrone soup.  I ate everything and it soon became the only way I would eat any veggies for a long, long time.

My mum's homemade minestrone soup always had more carbs than vegetables in it (so that I would eat it I assume!), which makes it much more filling than the standard version, although many variations of minestrone exist and can be happily altered to accomodate all tastes.  This is the recipe that I still stick to and will probably be how I'll always make a good bowl of my mum's minestrone soup.

Serves 4

Ingredients:-
- 300g can of cannellini beans, drained
- 2tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 gloves of garlic, crushed or finely chopped
- 1.5 litres of vegetable stock
- 400g can of chopped tomatoes
- 2 large potatoes
- 150g dried spaghetti, broken into smaller pieces
- 50g petit pois or garden peas
- handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- handful of fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

How to:-
1.  Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, carrots and garlic.  Cover and cook on a low heat for around 20 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally.
2.  Add the vegetable stock and chopped tomatoes, bring to the boil and cover and simmer for around 15 minutes.
3.  Then add the beans, potatoes and spaghetti, and bring back to the boil.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender (but still retaining their form).
4.  Stir in the parsley and basil, season to taste and serve with warm crusty rolls.

Potato Open Tarts with Oak Smoked Cheddar

I was craving a little comfort food today and decided to make these savory 'tarts'.  They're actually just mini wheat wraps and provide a nice crispy base for whatever you wish to put on top.  Handy to have in your cupboard for easy meals.

Serves 4 (1 tart each)

Ingredients:-
- 4 mini wheat wraps
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 large onions, peeled and finely sliced
- 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 450g cooked new potatoes, sliced
- 250g greek-style yoghurt
- 1 small bunch fresh chives, finely chopped
- 50g oak smoked cheddar cheese (or plain/mature if you prefer), grated
- freshly ground black pepper
- mixed salad leaves to serve (optional)

How to:-
1. Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F / Gas Mark 6.
2. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper then lay 2 wraps on each tray, side by side.
3. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat.  Add the onions, cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes, until softened. 
4. Remove the lid, increase the heat and cook for a further 3 minutes, until lightly golden.  Stir in the mustard then spread the mix evenly over the wraps.  Arrange the potato slices on top, overlapping them slightly.
5. Mix together the yoghurt, chives, and 3/4 of the cheese then spread over the potatoes.  Sprinkle over the remainder of the cheese and grind a little black pepper on top.
6. Cook in the oven for 18-20 minutes and serve with mixed salad leaves if desired.

[Recipe by celebrity chef Lesley Waters for Hello! Magazine]

Pea & Mint Soup

I love eating a simple soup for dinner in the summer months, I know it sounds odd, but I find it a lot easier to eat lighter/smaller meals when the weather is hot.  This Pea & Mint soup is a summer staple for me.  I like to make a big batch and then divide it up into portions and freeze it for later.

Ingredients:-
- 450g peas (garden or petit pois work well)
- 2tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 1 chopped onion
- 25g butter
- 1 finely chopped garlic clove
- 1 medium sized potato, chopped into equal pieces
- 750ml vegetable stock
- double cream to serve (optional)

How to:-
1. In a large saucepot, cook the chopped onion in the butter for about 2-3 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
2. Add the potato and vegetable stock.  Simmer covered for 10-15 minutes.
3. Add the mint and peas and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes,
4. Blend in a food processor until smooth and serve with double cream if desired.

Homemade potato wedges

A really easy accompaniment to a main meal or as a hot snack with dips/salad.

Serves 1 or 2
Ingredients:-
- 4 or 5 potatoes, I used Maris Piper ones
- Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper for seasoning

How to:-
1. Preheat oven to 200C/Gas 6.
2. Line a baking tray with foil and grease it with oil.
3. Wash/scrub the potatoes and cut into wedges. Toss in some olive oil and spread evenly on the baking tray.
4. Cook for around 35-45 minutes, turning at intervals to ensure they cook evenly.
5. Season with salt & pepper and serve.


Notes: Cooking time will vary depending on how thick you cut the wedges; thicker ones will take longer. For a spicy seasoning, dust on some paprika during the last five/ten minutes of baking time. My favourite vegan condiments for dipping are Reggae Reggae BBQ/Jerk sauce and Tiger Tiger Garlic Mayo.

Potato Scramble

A hot and filling lunch which is ideal for these cold days. You can use whatever you like in this and vary different spices to create this simple meal.

Adapted from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch:-
Potato Scramble
Serves 1

- 3 or 4 new potatoes
- 100g firm or extra-firm tofu, diced
- pinch of sea salt
- pinch of pepper
- pinch of paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon rapeseed oil
- 1 vegan sausage, sliced
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- sprinkle of chili flakes
- handful of baby spinach leaves to serve (optional)

How to:-
1. Boil the potatoes until tender (around 15-20 minutes) and then slice/chop and set aside.
2. Cook the vegan sausage according to packet instructions and then slice and set aside.
3. In a bowl, combine the tofu, salt, pepper and paprika, and add the sausage and potatoes.
4. Melt the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
5. Add everything into the pan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Serve immediately on the bed of spinach leaves if using.


Notes: I used Cauldron tofu and Linda McCartney's vegetarian sausages (vegan friendly too). As mentioned above, you can make countless variations of this dish; add mushrooms, beans, cheese, garlic, tomatoes etc.