Ingredients
1 large onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
1 large (350g) sweet potato
1 large leek, white and light green parts
225 g spinach
350 g Kale or chard
3 tablespoons (30 g) chopped fresh ginger, plus more to taste
500 ml vegetable stock, like marigold bouillion
2-4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper

Method
Chop the onion and cook it slowly in a frying pan in olive oil with a sprinkle of salt, stirring now and then, over low heat until it is soft and golden, about half an hour.
Meanwhile, peel and dice the sweet potato and put it in a large soup pot with 1 liter water and a pinch of sea salt. Cook for 15 minutes on a medium heat. Thoroughly wash the leek, spinach, and chard, chop them coarsely, and add them to the pan, along with the chopped ginger. Simmer the soup for another 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely tender. Add the caramelized onions when they are ready. When the vegetables are soft, add the vegetable broth (you can add less if you like a thicker soup) and decide whether you want your soup chunky, like this, or smooth. If the latter, puree the soup in a blender, in batches, or with an jug blender until it is smooth.
Stir in 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste, and correct the seasoning with additional salt or lemon juice.

Serves 5-6.

This is an adapted version of a soup from Love Soup by Anna Thomas. posted by Rachel.

Ingredients
3 ounces dried soba noodles
2 – 4 tablespoons miso paste (to taste)
2 – 3 ounces firm tofu, chopped into 1/3-inch cubes
a handful of watercress or spinach, well washed and stems trimmed
2 spring onions, tops removed thinly sliced
big pinch of arame seaweed
a small bunch of corriander
a pinch of red pepper flakes

Method
Cook the soba noodles in salted water, drain, run cold water over the noodles to stop them from cooking, shake off any excess water and set aside. Soak the seaweed in some boiling water for 5 to ten minutes, directions usually in the packet.
In a medium sauce pan bring a liter of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and remove from heat. Pour a bit of the hot water into a small bowl and whisk in the miso paste. Add the greens, spring onions and seaweed to the remaining water and simmer for a few minutes. Add the cubes of tofu and take off the heat to warm through. Split the noodles between two (or three) bowls, and pour the miso broth and tofu over them, sprinkle corriander and chili flakes into each bowl.

Posted by Rachel.

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add broth, potato, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the potato is just tender, about 8 minutes.

2. Add beets and vinegar; return to a boil. Cover and continue cooking until the broth is deep red and the potato is very soft, 2 to 3 minutes more.

3. Combine sour cream and horseradish in a small bowl. Serve the soup with a dollop of the horseradish sour cream and a sprinkle of parsley.

How to Prep and Steam Beets
Trim greens (if any) and root end; peel the skin with a vegetable peeler. Cut beets into 1/2- to 1-inch-thick cubes, wedges or slices. To steam on the stovetop: Place in a steamer basket over 1 inch of boiling water in a large pot. Cover and steam over high heat until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Nutrient contents of beetroot

The scarlet colour of beetroot is thought to be a combination of the naturally occurring yellow (betacyanin) and purple (betaxanthin) pigments. These vibrant pigments are potent phytochemicals and antioxidants that work to protect damage to body cells from free radicals. It is known that the more vibrant the colours of our fruit and vegetables, the more they have to offer in terms of nutrients to help protect our bodies from damaging free radicals.

Beetroot contains the all important nutrient called betaine. This nutrient is known as a mehyl donor which in effect helps make chemical processes in the body work effectively such as proper liver function and cellular reproduction. Betaine also helps the body make carnitine. Carnitine is a nutrient that helps the body turn fat into energy.

Recipe Nutrition
Yields 4 1-cup servings. Per serving: 172 calories; 10 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 6g mono unsaturated fat); 6 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 3 g fiber; 395 mg sodium; 534 mg potassium. Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (25% daily value), Potassium (15% dv). 1 Carbohydrate Servings. Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 fat

adapted from www.eatingwell.com

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 pinch red chili flakes
1 cup chopped leeks or onions
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 tablespoons tamari or Bragg Liquid Aminos
5 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 teaspoons coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
6 cups vegetable stock (look for yeast-free stock or make your own if you are on the candida diet)
¼ cup chopped fresh coriander (or more if you enjoy the taste)

Heat the oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the red chili flakes, leeks, ginger, and tamari/aminos. Saute for two or three minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and sauté until they are well coated and begin to brown slightly. Add the coriander and garam masala. Saute another two minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the vegetable stock to cover the sweet potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender. Blend with a hand blender or food processor into a smooth consistency, adding more stock as necessary. Reheat before serving and garnish with the chopped corriander.

Enjoy – and let me know what you think! Posted by Rachel Dare

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots thinly sliced (replace with 1 onion if you can’t find them)
1 clove of garlic, minced
3/4 cup brown basmati, rinsed
6 cups vegetable stock, use a good one like marigold bouillon
1/2 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut diagonally
1/2 cup cavolo nero or curly kale, chopped
8 spears of asparagus, trimmed and sliced into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup peas, frozen are fine
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over a medium heat, then add the shallots/onions and garlic and saute for a few minutes until onions are soft. Add the rice and cook together for another minute, then add the stock and bring to the boil. Cover, lower the heat, and simmer until the rice is just tender, 35 to 45 minutes.

Add the sugar snap peas, asparagus, kale and green peas, and season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Simmer for another 2 or 3 minutes and serve immediately, this way the vegetables stay crisp and bright.

Enjoy! Let me know what you think. Posted by Rachel Dare.

10 Large tomatoes
3 Cloves Garlic
1 sprig Basil
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt, pepper and sugar

Heat Oven to 240/Gas 9… Very Hot!
Chop up tomatoes into chunks, cutting out core if tough. Put onto a deep baking tray with garlic, whole sprig of basil, oilve oil,and seasoning…. Roast for half an hour… or until soft.

While that is roasting, prepare:

I large onoin, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 pint of veggie stock (cube dissolved in hot water)
2 tbsp chopped basil

Fry onions very gently until soft, a good 10 minutes.
Add everything from the roasting tray removing the basil stalk.
Add stock and bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins, testing for seasoning.
Blend the soup until smooth, add the basil and enjoy!

Freezes really well…great to have as a standby for those lazy Sunday evenings!

5 big Carrots, approx 500g, diced small
1 large Onion, chopped
600ml boiling water
1 bunch fresh Mint or Coriander (or both) chopped
1 tbsp Orange rind, grated
1 tsp salt and fresh ground Black Pepper
Juice of fresh Orange
Olive oil (for 1st way)

Verision 1:

Bring the water to the boil, add the carrots, onion, mint, orange zest and seasoning.
Lower the heat, cover the pan and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Remove the mint and (add some of the coriander if using) and blend the soup until smooth. Add the rest of the corriander on to as a garnish when you serve.

Version 2 (This is how I usually make it but it takes a little more time and it’s less healthy because of the frying.)

Heat olive oil in a pan adding onion, carrot and seasoning, cook on a med heat for 10 minutes.
Add the water, orange juice and zest and mint, lower the heat, cover the pan and cook for 10-15 minutes,
until the vegetables are tender. Add coriander if using, keeping some back for garnish, and blend the soup until smooth. Serve with chopped Corriander on top.

225g yellow split peas

1 vegetable stock cube

1 tsp vegetable bouillion powder

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 onion peeled and diced

1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped

3 carrots,scrubbed and diced

Place the peas in a sieve and rinse well under running water for a few minutes. Place in a large sauce pan and cover with 1.5l cold water, the stock cube and the bouillion powder. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, Remove any scum that rises up to the surface with a slotted spoon.

While the peas are cooking fry the onions and carrots in olive oil on a medium heat for 10 mins then add the sweet potato and cook for another 5 mins. When the peas have cooked for 25 mins add the cooked veggies to the pan and cook for another 15 mins.

Allow cool a little then blend the soup with a hand blender or food processor until smooth, reheat and serve with the sprigs of mint garnishing the surface

For a fat free and quicker version:

Add the rest of the vegetables to the cooked peas and simmer for a further 15 to 20 mins or until veggies are tender when pierced with a knife then follow the rest of the directions.