Potato and Leek Cheesey Soup

As soon as the weather cools (even just a little) out comes my big pot and all the glorious soup and stew cooking. Don't get me wrong I love a salad and summery food too but there is just something about body warming, soul soothing comfort foods like soups and stews!

This one gets made a lot on our house and is one of the soups enjoyed by kids and adults alike!

Potato and Leek Cheesey Soup

Ingredients

• 5 potatoes, chopped into thin circles
• 2 small sweet potatoes, chopped into thin circles
• 1 leek, washed and chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped finely
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 tablespoon savoury yeast flakes (health food shop/chemist warehouse etc)
• 1 tablespoon grated cheddar cheese
• 2 stockcubes (for this I used transfat free Massel chicken style - vegetarian)
• 1 litre water (more as needed)
• 1/4 cup french green lentils, washed and drained
• 1/2 cup milk of choice

Method

• NOTE: This soup can be made in a rush on a higher heat or as I prefer slowly. It is totally up to you and the time you have spare! 
• In a deep pot or saucepan saute the leek and garlic in the olive oil gently over a medium low heat.
• After about 3-4 minutes add in the turmeric and cumin and stir through.
• Tip in the potatoes and for about 1 minute stir through the leek and garlic mixture you will see them get some colour from the turmeric.
• Pour in the water and milk and add the stock cubes and lentils.
• Season if desired with freshly cracked black pepper and a good salt like pink Himalayan or sea salt.
• Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat so it slowly simmers.
• Add more water during the cooking time if needed. The soup should not be thick.
• When the potato pieces can be just penetrated with a fork and the lentils are cooked add in the yeast flakes and cheese, stir the soup and continue to simmer for a few minutes.
• Test for seasoning.
• Serve and enjoy!

Notes

• I like to serve this with fresh crusty sourdough bread and organic butter or home-made garlic and herb bread.
• You can make this vegan, leave out the cheddar cheese and just use the savoury yeast flakes which have a lovely cheesey flavour anyway.
• The savoury yeast flakes are a quite exciting ingredient I like to use, de-activated yeast they are rich in flavour and B vitamins and potassium.
• If you don't eat normal potatoes you can make this with all sweet potato.

Toddler Tips

• Kids seem to love this soup, it must be the appealing colour from the turmeric and the loveloy cheesey flavour!
• To make this really fun you can serve theirs in bread boats. You will need really thick, solid bread rolls, hollow out some of the fluffy filling, fill with soup, serve on a plate.

Love Bek XX

(c)rebeccamugridge2014

Brown Rice & Quinoa Pumpkin Wine Risotto & WIN the wine to make it!

Recently I was sent two beautiful wines to review that are by Taylors Wines
(A hardship I know!)

I have always enjoyed a glass of a great wine with a beautiful meal shared with friends. My first experiences with wine were straight out of studying Horticulture to my first job working in vineyards in Mt Barker in Western Australia. It was such a wonderful experience, (ok well maybe apart from all the secateurs cuts ;) working in vineyards and with winemakers gave me such an insight into wine and grape vines and the beauty of the whole process.

Mixing this with great food was always a part of it for me and from my experiences of my mothers kitchen table.

When I tried the Gewurztraminer I knew I wanted to cook with it!

This dish I have created is a relaxing recipe to create, it is slowly cooked and a savoured experience. Beautiful, enjoyable cooking, best done while also enjoying a glass of this lovely wine and even better while chatting to a great friend or two.

Brown rice, Quinoa and Pumpkin Risotto

Ingredients

• 3 cloves Australian garlic, chopped
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup Taylors White Wine I used Gewurztraminer
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup brown lentils
• 1 cup organic brown rice ( I actually found the organic cheaper than the non organic at coles!)
• 1/2 litre good vegetable stock
• 4 cups vegetable stock, gently warmed (not hot) 
• water as needed
• 1/2 medium pumpkin
• a few garlic cloves extra (optional)
• 100g feta
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• Himalayan pink salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 180'c
• Slice the pumpkin into slices about 3 cm long and 1/2 cm thick.
• Drizzle with a little olive oil and arrange on a baking tray, add some extra cloves of garlic and roast in the oven until cooked through and a little crispy on the outside. Set aside.
• Bring the vegetable stock to the boil in a saucepan.
• Add in the lentils, reduce to a simmer and cook until soft. Set aside
• Fry the onion and leek in the olive oil until wilted.
• Add in the garlic and turmeric, stir through 2-3 minutes.
• Add in the brown rice, stir through so it is covered gently in olive oil.
• Pour in the wine, stir over a medium heat until it is mostly evaporated.
• Pour yourself a small glass of the beautiful Gewurztraminer (totally optional of course feel free to insert herbal tea here if you wish) and relax as you slowly enjoy and experience the next step of slowly adding stock to the rice, a bit at a time, stirring, enjoying the smells and textures in the pan, why not munch on some lovely carrot and red capsicum sticks too!
• Keep simmering that rice, stirring, adding stock a little at a time. If you need to use some water do so, when the rice is mostly cooked but still just a little crunchy add in the quinoa and lentils with any remaining stock and a enough water so there is enough liquid to cook the quinoa in. Mix together well and continue to simmer until rice and quinoa are cooked. Turn the heat off.

• Chop the feta into small bite sized pieces.
• Carefully fold the pumpkin pieces through the rice mixture and then the feta. The heat will allow the feta to gently melt a little in places. Remove skin and through roasted garlic cloves through.
• Serve.
• Optionally top with some freshly chopped parsley 
• Optionally serve with a glass of chilled Gewurztraminer to adult dinner guests so the flavour experience continues.

Notes

• The alcohol burns off during cooking 
• This dish makes beautiful leftovers the next day, enjoyed cold or hot.

Toddler Tips

• If you want to make a wine free version simple make a much smaller version for them and use stock in place of the wine, they do not usually notice the onion but you can leave out if you wish also.
• If you are serving this for a dinner party or the parents are enjoying a nice glass of wine with the meal why not make it fun for kids and let them have a chilled fruit juice in a stemmed glass too (you could always use plastic stemmed glasses from the party section at most shops if your worried about glass.

One lucky reader will win two bottles of Taylors Wines!

‘Bringing great wines to life.’

Established three generations ago in South Australia’s beautiful Clare Valley, Taylors Wines is a family-owned Australian wine company that was born from a passion of producing exceptional,  hand crafted wines. With a philosophy that embraces balance, elegance and finesse in every wine, Taylors truly brings great wines to life.

From a velvety Cabernet Sauvignon to vibrant Promised Land Moscato, Taylors Wines boasts a world-class collection of unmistakeable quality and style. Plus, with a comprehensive Environmental Management System and a commitment to sustainability, Taylors Wines understands that green is just as important as red and white.

The giveaway is open to Australia only. Winner must be of legal drinking age and provide proof of age to claim prize.

@Taylors_Wines

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Would you like to WIN two beautiful wines from Taylors Wines?
To enter!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cashew, Brazil Nut, Lentil & Quinioa Nut Roast

Cashew, Brazil Nut, Lentil & Quinoa Nut Roast 

Serve with Eat Me I’m Wild Tomato and Cumin Sauce

Healthy and delicious. This recipe was a HUGE hit at the taste testing demonstration at the Maleny Supa IGA, the feedback on the day from the public was amazing, and people even asked me on the day if they could buy this ready made and during the couple of weeks afterwards asked in store where they could buy one too! 

I love a nut roast, I have been making nut roasts for years and this one I am really proud of.

It holds it's shape really well, slices easily and tastes best the second day so is a great recipe to make in advance. ENJOY!

Ingredients

• 1 leek, chopped

• 1 jar Eat Me I’m Wild Tomato and Cumin sauce to serve

• 1 tablespoon ABC Kepac Manis soy sauce

• 1 cup Maleny IGA cashews

• ¾ cup Maleny IGA brazil nuts

• ½ cup Maleny IGA hazelnut meal 

• 2 carrots, grated

• 2 cups Maleny Bakery Wholemeal Bread, turned into bread crumbs 

• 1 & ½ cup Maleny IGA brown lentils

• 3 rawganix free range eggs

• 1 & ½ litres vegetable stock

• ¼ cup Quinoa, cooked according to packet directions

• ½ cup extra vegetable stock, as needed

Method

• Preheat oven to 180`c.

• Grease a loaf tin and line with baking paper.

• Pour the vegetable stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil.

• Cook lentils in stock until tender.

• Cook leek in a frypan until soft

• Roughly crush the cashews and brazil nuts, leaving some big pieces for texture.

• Cook quinoa according to packet directions.

• In a large bowl whisk the 3 eggs

• Add in bread crumbs, nuts, quinoa, carrot, soy sauce, ¼ cup stock and lentils, mix together well

• Pour mixture into prepared loaf tin, press down gently

• Cover loaf with a sheet of baking paper

• Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until firm

• Remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting

• Heat the Eat me I’m Wild sauce

• Serve (also see notes)

Notes

• Serve hot or cold with roast vegetables or salad and mashed potato and the heated Eat Me I’m Wild sauce or even a homemade gravy.

• This nut roast benefits from being allowed to cool and then chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to really firm up and set, you can then serve cold, which is delicious or re-heat in the oven to serve it warm.

Toddler Tips

• Cut into bite sized pieces and serve with mashed potato

• A great, tasty high protein and high fibre meal

• Serve theirs with organic tomato sauce

This recipe is from the collectible, free Local Product Local Recipe - recipe cards that you can pick up in store at the Maleny IGA. Promoting products and producers from the Sunshine Coast region.
The Maleny IGA now has online shopping and delivers right across the Sunshine Coast. 

Pumpkin and Feta Quiche & Organic Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkins
I love pumpkin. It has always been one of my absolute favourite vegetables to eat and to grow.
Anyone who has grown pumpkins knows when they are harvesting you can end up with lots of pumpkins - all at once!
So it is always a great idea to have some pumpkin recipes up your sleeve.

This easy, tasty recipe is one of the recipes from my NEW upcoming cookbook
The Healthy, Happy Cookbook
You can also get my delicious Moist Pumpkin Cake recipe in The Pram Diet book


Fabulous Pumpkin and Feta Quiche



Ingredients

• 3 cups pumpkin, cubed
• 200 gms feta, cubed
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• ¼ Cup cheddar cheese
• 250 gms fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 stalks spring onion, thinly sliced
• 4 Free range eggs
• 2 sheets reduced fat/wholegrain/butter puff pastry or your own homemade equivalent
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Pre heat oven to approx 180`
• Grease a large and deep quiche or suitable baking dish
• Cook pumpkin and set aside
• Remove pastry from freezer and allow to thaw slightly
• Lightly fry the spring onion and garlic (and optional bacon if required),for a few minutes until just cooked and set aside
• In a bowl combine the eggs, cottage cheese, grated cheese, Turmeric and season with salt and pepper
• Roughly mash just some of the pumpkin so some pieces are still big chunks and some is smooth
• Gently arrange the pastry sheets in the dish
• Add the mushrooms, spring onion (and bacon) and pumpkin to the egg mixture and crumble in the feta gently
• Pour mixture into the quiche dish
• Bake until golden on top and pastry is cooked
• Serve with a tasty well dressed, leafy green salad

Notes

• Add in some fresh chili for more bite
• Include some low fat bacon by frying off at the spring onion stage and draining on paper towel or some vegetarian Sanitarium not-bacon in the same way, sliced into thin strips

Toddler Tips

• Make some great toddler sized mini quiches by using some of the mixture and a miniature muffin tin. Cut out pastry circles by tracing around the bottom of a glass, filling with mixture and topping with a little grated cheese and a slice of cherry tomato on top of each one.
  Also a great lunch box idea for school aged kids!

And another favourite pumpkin recipe

Organic Pumpkin and Lentil Soup

A recipe that is so wholesome and delicious. From making it, to cooking, to eating it.

Ingredients

• 1 whole medium sized organic pumpkin, skin removed cut into pieces

• 5 cloves Australian garlic, finely chopped

• 100 grams red lentils, washed

• 2 chicken stock cubes (I use Massel as it is trans-fat free) or 1.5 litres chicken stock

• 1.5 litres water

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 1 cup low fat milk or soy milk

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• In a deep saucepan fry the onion and garlic until the onion is see through

• Add in the mustard seeds, and turmeric fry gently mixing with the onion and garlic mixture.

• Now add the pumpkin pieces and stir through briefly.

• Pour in the water and add stock cubes (or chicken stock) and lentils

• Bring to the boil and then reduce to a low simmer

• Simmer slowly stirring.

• Season to taste with salt and pepper.

• When pumpkin is cooked through remove half the mixture and blend with the milk until smooth

• Return to the saucepan and stir together. 

• Scatter with very thinly sliced fresh spring onions

• Serve with fresh whole meal roles or pita bread

Notes

• Make the 3 pumpkin version. Instead of 1 medium pumpkin use 3 large pieces of different pumpkin types-this adds a really interesting twist.

• Leave onion out altogether for kids not so keen on it.

• Serve with finely chopped chives, coriander leaves and fresh spring onion sprigs.

• Spice it right up by adding fresh chili, cumin and a strong curry powder to the onion mixture.

• Turmeric is a fantastic spice and is said to have anti-cancer and weight loss boosting properties.

• No mustard seeds on hand? You can substitute with a teaspoon of whole grain mustard but the seeds are best.

• No blender? Using a masher roughly mash the mixture whist in the saucepan until a good consistency is achieved.

Toddler Tips

• Make theirs a really creamy version by blending it completely and adding in some natural yogurt.

• Leave out all onion if desired.

• Serve with whole grain toast soldiers, grilled with melted cheese.

Recipe (c)RebeccaMugridge2012