WINTER WARMING RED LENTIL AND SWEET POTATO SOUP RECIPE

Red lentil and Sweet Potato Soup

“I’m not hungry” was the initial response to this soup at lunch the other day. However as there was no alternative it was eaten and, more was asked for!!!

Yes, it was that tasty!

Just before Christmas I was sent a sample of Garden Gourmet fresh herbs to sample.  I blogged a prawn and noodle recipe

http://notjustforrabbits.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/thai-prwans-and-spinach-noodles-with.html

using a selection of the herbs but then didn’t really have time to do any more.

The little tubes of freshness have not been ignored or left festering in the fridge. In fact they have been used in so many different dishes I thought I should just share with you how useful I have found them.

They have been used in soups, sauces, curry’s and even biscuits. The Teens have found them useful when making brownies and garlic bread and they really brightened up several soups.

With a cold spell forecast I thought I would share this healthy tasty red lentil and sweet potato soup with you. Especially those of you trying to get healthy foods into reluctant youngsters I was really pleased with how this went down.

So here it is. 

Thank you Garden Gourmet I have been recommending your little tubes of goodness to everyone.

Gourmet Garden little tubes of fresh herbs

SWEET POTATO AND RED LENTIL SOUP

Serves 4

Preparation time 5 minutes

Cooking time 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 carrot

1 onion

500g of sweet potato

150g red lentils

2tsp gourmet garden garlic or 3 cloves of crushed garlic

2tsp gourmet garden fresh ginger or 1 cm of finely chopped fresh ginger

1 Litre of good vegetable stock

1slug of olive oil or approximately 1 tbsp

WHAT TO DO:

1.     Put the oil in a large saucepan and heat gently. Chop the onion, sweet potato and carrot and lightly fry in the oil for about 3 minutes.

2.      Add the herbs and stir in coating the vegetables then add the stock and bring to the boil.

3.     Once it has started to boil turn the heat down add the lentils and simmer for 20 minutes or until the sweet potato is soft.

4.     After about 20 minutes the lentils should have dissolved and the vegetables be soft and crumbly. Using a hand blender blitz it up to a velvety texture...

Then serve with crusty bread and eat!!

THAI PRWANS AND SPINACH NOODLES with GOURMET GARDEN herbs and spices

Thai Prawns and spinach with noodles with GOURMET GARDEN Herbs and spices

Yesterday when the postman knocked I was more than pleasantly surprised to receive a lovely present from the GOURMET GARDEN Herbs and Spices Company.

At this time of year the post seems to be all Christmas cards, bills and if they’re lucky, presents for the younger members of the family. So to see something for me was a real bonus, especially as it contained a selection of their lovely fresh herbs and spices.

The GOURMET GARDEN have come up with a great idea by putting fresh basil, garlic, coriander and ginger to name but a few, in tubes that make life very easy avoid all the mess and smell of chopping up mounds of garlic etc.

GOURMET GARDEN Herbs and spices

We decided that the garlic paste, which tastes so fresh, would make garlic bread even easier to make. Teen V though a tablespoon of that mixed into some butter and slathered in a French stick would be a brilliant alternative to having to chop endless cloves of garlic.

As we have been beset with colds and flu here we decided to test the potency of the Thai spices along with the garlic and ginger so decided to create a Thai prawn noodle dish.

I’m all for using the real thing when it comes to food and seasoning, as any of you who have read this before will know, I actively encourage everyone to make their own where possible and today was no exception.

GOURMET GARDEN Herbs and spices

THAI  PRAWNS WITH SPINACH AND NOODLES

Preparation time 5 minutes

Cooking time 8-10 minutes

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2tsp of Gourmet garden fresh garlic

3tsp of Gourmet Garden fresh ginger

2tsp of Thai spices

1 small onion

1 tsp turmeric

1 litre of fish stock

1 stick of lemon grass chopped

1 pack of cooked tiger prawns

1 160 g small can of coconut cream

1 250g pack of spinach snipped into ribbons

100g of thin egg noodles

WHAT TO DO

1.     Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok and add the onion, ginger, garlic, and lemon grass and cook gently for 3 minutes.

2.     Add the Thai spices and fish stock and then stir in the creamed coconut and tumeric.

3.     Hydrate the noodles in a dish of boiling water separately and snip the spinach into the pan and simmer for about 2 minutes.

4.     Now add the prawns to the mix, drain the noodles.

5.      Add them to the pan and stir for about 3 minutes until everything is piping hot.  

6.       Serve and eat..with forks and spoons to spoon up all the delicious juices.

EASY and delicious even with a cold!

NJ4R'S Thai prawns with spinach and noodles 

So if you want fresh herbs that will keep up to 3 weeks refrigerated I recommend you give them a try.

GOURMET GARDEN