Kharcho

Roll up, roll up for my second favourite Georgian dish. It's an amazing and filling meaty soup. There is a chill in the air, the internet is full of pumpkin spice lovers and people who make fun of them, so I think we can say it’s coming into autumn. And this soup is a perfect autumnal soup.

I have mentioned my love of Georgian food earlier, and this is another gem from the Georgian cookbooks. It’s a strong, herby, beefy soup with rice. Mine turned out a little bit more like a stew than a soup but it’s still delicious. Could be fixed with less rice or more water, but I liked it just the way it was.

Northern Irish Vegetable Soup

Some foods are so ingrained in your growing up that you don’t even notice them. Wracking my brain a few St Patrick’s days ago, I couldn’t think of any typical Irish/Northern Irish foods to make for the occasion. This would have been perfect, but for me it wasn't "traditional Irish fare" it was just what my mum used to cook for dinner in the winter.

So the other day I was really hankering for vegetable soup. Proper vegetable soup. I had a quick look on the online grocery stores for the soup mix packs which are ubiquitous in Northern Ireland. They basically have the mix of pulses or a mix of the vegetables needed. I couldn’t find any, so I did what any self-respecting Northern Irish girl would do – I called my mummy.

She knew what I needed, and I ended up buying the ingredients individually. But all that means is I have enough dry ingredients for so many future bowls of soup. Winner!

This is a very quick and simple dinner, all in you’re talking an hour for it to cook (with one instance of overnight soaking) and you can leave it to simmer away on its own for most of that.

I served mine like my mum does – with some shredded roasted chicken and some wheaten bread. I made the bread while the soup was cooking, because Irish bread is all about instant gratification – no rising time required.

makes 4 generous bowls of soup

Thai Green Cauliflower Soup

A pile of filled tupperware makes me happy.

"The diet starts Monday.."

But the meal prep begins Sunday night!

So, we all know of my vegetable woes.  I don't like them, as a group. I particularly hate cauliflower. It's a terrible substitute for rice and for mashed potatoes. It's just not starchy carby delicious and that's ok. It is its own thing.

Cauliflower can shine on its own without being something else. My boyfriend and I were on holiday in Croatia last year and found a little place with the most delicious food. Their fish was a revelation, but in particular the soup was the best soup I've ever had. It was like a veggie Thai green curry, and the thing that surprised me the most was that it had cauliflower in it. Delicious, healthy and silky-smooth with lovely background spice. 

Blending that veg up in a soup transforms it and it becomes magic.

Gold star for cauliflower.

Green Soup

Healthy eating is really hard and I totally fell off the wagon big style. Like, from Christmas. It’s now summer. That’s not good. So this seems as good a time as any to try to get back on it while getting the blog back up to regular updates!

I have been trying to think of ways to get more vegetables into my diet because I am quite immature in my vegetable tastes. I will happily eat sweetcorn and peas and carrots, but I really struggle with things like aubergine and spinach and cucumber. And I just point blank refuse to eat a green shake.

But I have an ace up my sleeve. Soup! I really like soup. It’s quick to make, you can throw a whole host of veggies in it and the best part is you can hide the veggies by blitzing the whole thing up to make a smooth and creamy lunch.

I find it easiest to make changes for my lunches. Gone are the sandwiches and crackers, behold the era of soup! For this soup, I knew I wanted to have the main part be broccoli, and the rest I just kind of threw in based on what I like and what was in the cupboard.

Chicken Noodle Soup - Meal Prep with Sunday Roast Leftovers

I don’t know about anyone else, but I really like the concept of Sunday meal prep, so you have healthy and nutritious lunches set up for the rest of the week instead of relying on packaged sandwiches from the shop (which can definitely be a bit hit and miss!).

I also hate waste. I like to use everything I can and not waste food if I can. And on top of that I'm a bit lazy, so if I can get away with cooking one big dinner to serve as the basis for my meal prep then I’m all over that too.

Meal prep Sunday nights

So, this meal is perfect for me. It’s a really yummy, packed-full-of-veggies soup that is almost no effort, seeing as I am basically using all leftovers from the Sunday roast I already made. I already was chopping leeks and carrots for the dinner, so doing another one each wasn’t much more work, and the chicken was roasted for dinner and then the leftovers were shredded.

Ham and Lentil Slow Cooker Soup

All right, we are doubling DOWN on Christmas cooking now. We're knee deep in the season, people.

For me, Christmas is about eating with family and friends. I have a really awesome family. We meet up all the time when I’m home and have a great time together. They’re also full of good ideas that I can pass off as my own.

This soup is a prime example. My aunt makes the best soup. She is the queen of soup. One day she came to my nanny’s house with her massive 15L soup pot full of lentil soup and put it on the stove. When it was ready to be served, she went into it with a massive fork and pulled out a large joint of ham.

That’s right, she cooked the ham right there in the soup.

Absolute genius.

And I’ve shamelessly stolen the idea and made it into a slow cooker meal, something I can put on in the morning and then all of a sudden at dinner time a wonderful meal appears. I don't add any salt because the stock and gammon are salty enough, but a little bit of pepper works wonders.

Perfect dinner. My boyfriend doesn't think soup is enough of a meal for dinner, so he gets a grilled cheese with his.

Tomato and Sweet Potato Soup

Winter is here! The nights are dark and the weather is absolutely BALTIC. My duffel coat feels like it is permanently attached to my body, and I don’t leave the house without thick socks.

This is firmly soup weather.

And it's good timing, as I've just realised that I haven't posted anything savoury to the blog since August. That's a little embarrassing.. but I love sugar!!

I do enjoy soup, but for me to look forward to making and eating it, it has to be absolutely delicious. Otherwise it can feel a little like a runner up dinner. Luckily, this soup is really delish, and uses up a lot of my cupboard/fridge staples. It’s thick and creamy and full of nutritious veggies, a perfect wholesome dinner for those days when you go out for breakfast and then manage to have a massive slice of cake and a mocha as well. 

Everything in moderation!

The chorizo on top is a nice little smoky treat, but feel free to skip it if you’re feeling veggie, or add something else like diced scallions or buttery sweetcorn.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Yes, I realise it is halfway through bloody springtime, but the days have been really damn cold lately, so I think a nice warming bowl of soup is in order! As I type is it is literally hailing sideways. It's upsetting. Soup is the only answer.

When will the lovely crisp springtime arrive? I’m still trudging around in my wintery duffel coat, and Easter has been and gone!

This is a twist on your typical noodle soup, I’ve given it a hint of a Chinese flavour with some of my favourite ingredients, which I think go really well with this soup. I love sesame and soy and they go really well with this filling noodley-vegetable soup! Feel free to mix it up with your favourite things too – some chillies or mushrooms could really shine here too!

It really couldn’t be simpler- fry off some veggies, pour in stock and flavourful things, and stir through noodles and chicken. Top with more lovely flavourful things and enjoy!

Chicken Satay Noodle Soup

More toppings than soup - my kind of bowl!

Yum yum yum. Hello Monday night dinner!

One of my absolute favourite things to get from a Chinese takeaway is chicken satay. There is something about spicy, thick, silky nutty sauce smothered over some chicken that just gets me every time. Here, the noodles really shine, they cook in with the rest and help the sauce thicken up and become silky smooth. The creamed coconut helps with the sauce texture as well, without making it taste overwhelmingly of coconut.

This is one of these great midweek dinners which I love. Flavourful, quick, and all made in one pot = minimal washing up! I have to admit, I am not the biggest of noodle fans, but you could easily cook some rice in a separate pot and put that in a bowl first and pour some noodle-less soup on top. That would also be excellent. Good plan, rice fans,

You should make this for dinner next week, your family will love you for it!

Tomato Soup

So, for a brief and annoying time, I was sans camera. Therefore, the next few posts will be illustrated courtesy of my trusty phone. Which isn’t quite as fabulous as my NEW RED DSLR but did the job in the few weeks I had to go without.

Aaaaanyway. I was on my hols recently (when am I not?!) and in one brunch place they kind of just forced tomato soup on us. Now, I’m not a tomato fan normally. I can tolerate them sieved, or on a pizza, but that’s about it. I have some strange and specific food hang ups. You will for instance never see  mushrooms on this blog. I’ve *never* cooked with them, those slimy little gits. Ditto olives. Ditto raisins.

So, it was to my utter shock and bewilderment that this tomato soup which was foisted upon me was tasty.. Nay, delicious!

Of course, I immediately had to try to make my own as soon as I got home. As with most of my experiments, this is a first go. It is pretty damn delicious for a first go, sweet and tart and herby and delicious. Also, it allowed me to exclaim one of my favourite Friends quotes over and over while cooking: "You're burning your tomatoes." "You're one to talk."

I think next time I might play around with ingredients and make it slightly more creamy. But that will be another day! For now, tomato soup, I approve.

Peanutty "African" Stew

A perfect pot of food.

Okay, the reason I’ve put African in quotes in the title is that I mentioned this recipe to a friend from north Africa and she was, to put it politely, extremely sceptical about the African origins of this recipe.

However, I have never let a cultural misunderstanding get in the way of a good meal. And this is pure deliciousness, a big bowl of warming, spicy, nutty and sweet comfort. On these freezing not-quite-spring nights it is the ideal meal for happiness.

I could eat this every damn day. I hate stew, but this has almost a broth-like, curry quality which I just adore. So, who cares where it is from, just eat!

Chicken Ramen

You mean, you *don't* match your bowl and chopsticks? Casual.

What to do the day after nomming a massive roast dinner into you? Get those chicken bones in a pot and make some stock, and use it the next day to make yummy chicken ramen soup! No? Just me?

Well, that is what I did and it was spectacular.  Full disclosure, the stock could have been better, I added a bit of water to the broth when cooking and I think that took away from the depth of flavour a bit. So don't do that. See, I'm making the mistakes so you guys don't have to!

You all know, I love ramen. I could very happily live in one of those little noodle shops in Japan and never leave it. Pork ramen is classic and delicious and I love it a lot. Chicken ramen is something I hadn’t considered until I was staring at my picked-clean chicken bones/leftovers.

This is a little bit lighter than the pork, and I think it handles itself a little better with unconventional flavours, like the jalapeno toppings. Any of your favourite veggies really will do here, it is one of those special soups which is infinitely customizable.

Leek and Potato Soup

Ireland, IREEELAND!

Happy belated St Patrick’s day, everyone! Sorry for the delayed post, but I was home in Belfast all last week, having a brilliant time with the family. 

..and enjoying some warm-weather treats

The holy grail. Tayto 4 lyfe.

On my last day there, I was wracking my brains with them, trying to think of what I could make for the blog in celebration of my Irish-ness, because I just don’t enjoy too much of what you may think of as ‘traditional’ Irish food. Irish stew, salmon, Guinness.. Boke. But if you have been paying any attention at all then you know that I have a deep love for the humble potato. How could you not, they are filling, nourishing and infinitely versatile.

And this soup is a fantastic way to show off the spud. Superbly smooth and silky, and the flavour is perfect. One of the best soups I’ve ever made, and so simple. I love this for a cold-weather dinner, with hunks of warm fresh bread, but it makes a lovely filling lunch too.

Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup

So many utensils

There is nothing better for me on a cold winter’s evening than hearing a pot of soup bubbling away on the hob, promising deliciousness and warmth to come.  Because I am *so* Irish.

This particular one is adapted from one of my favourite series’ of little cookbooks, the BBC Good Food Healthy Eats book. I don’t do diets, but I do do soup. And this was a revelation. Thick, silky smooth, wonderfully coloured and highly flavourful. My notoriously hard to please boyfriend even complimented it, which I am counting as a super win.