Simple Carrot Soup

Simple Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

2 Medium Onions, Chopped
5 Cups Water
3 Medium Gold Beets, Chopped (if unavailable, you can use the usual Red Beetroots, but the colour will be different that's all)
4 -5 Carrots, Chopped
1/4 Cup Sweet White Miso Paste
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
Salt to Taste

Method:

1. In a large soup pot, throw in your chopped onions, beets, carrots, and water. The water should just cover all of the veggies; if not, add a splash or two more. Cover, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer.

2. Allow everything to cook for about 30 minutes, until the beets and carrots are fork-tender.

3. Transfer everything (carefully!) to your blender, and thoroughly puree, until completely smooth.

4. Add in the miso, lemon juice, and salt as needed, and blend to incorporate. Serve immediately for a hot soup, or chill for at least three hours if you’d prefer it cold.


Source: http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/simple-spring-fare/

Rating: 4

Makes: 8-9 cups

Red Coleslaw

Ok, so this salad is VERY RED!! But, don't let that put you off it. It tastes divine. It's also vegan (therefore egg and dairy free), and gluten and nut free.

Red Coleslaw

Ingredients:

1 whole red cabbage, finely shredded (about 4 cups)
2 cups fresh beetroot (peeled and grated)
2 cups carrot (peeled and grated)
2 cups red apple, quartered & sliced thinly
3 Tbsp flaxseed oil
1 Tbsp Braggs Aminos (or tamari or soy sauce will do)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 Tbsp mustard

Method:

1. Place cabbage, beetroot, carrot & apple in a large bowl and toss together.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.

3. Just before serving, dress the coleslaw.

Source: Booklet from "Introduction to Vegan Cuisine" at the Leichhardt Community College. Tutor: Leigh Drew

Serves: 6

Rating: 4/5

Borscht

The beautiful colour of this soup is much enhanced by suspending some raw grated beet in it after cooking. It is a classic cold soup, but in some countries it is served hot to departing guests to keep out the cold. Tastes great when accompanied by sour dough bread.

Borscht

Ingredients:

450g raw beetroots
2 large onions, sliced
2 large carrots, sliced
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp olive oil
25g butter
1.5litres of boiling water
juice of 1 lemon
seasoning, to taste
1 raw beetroot, grated
sour cream or yoghurt for garnish

Method:

1. Peel the beetroots and cut into a small dice. Place them with the other sliced begetables in a large saucepan with the bay leaves, olive oil and butter. Add a pinch of salt and saute over a low heat for 10 minutes.

2. Add the boiling water then cover and simmer for about 2 hours, or until all the vegetables are tender.

3. Add the lemon juice and a little black pepper and leave to cool.

4. Remove the bay leaves and blend the soup into a puree. If it is too thick, add a little vegetable stock.

5. With the soup still off the heat, place the raw beetroot in a muslin/cheesecloth bag and suspend it in the soup. Remove after a few hours and stir the soup well.

6. Reheat it gently (if desired), or serve chilled with yoghurt, or swirls of sour cream.

Source: Spencer, C. (1992). The New Vegetarian: The ultimate guide to gourmet cooking and healthy living. Gaia Books: London

Serves: ????

Rating: 4

Beetroot, Pumpkin and Spinach Salad with Fetta Polenta and Walnut Vinegarette

You will need a small butternut pumpkin weighing about 1kg, unpeeled, for this recipe. The Polenta and dressing can be made a day ahead and stored, in an airtight container, in the fridge.

Beetroot, Pumpkin and Spinach Salad with Fetta Polenta and Walnut Vinegarette:

Intredients:

Salad:

2 cups water
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup polenta
200g fetta cheese, crumbled
600g fresh beetroots
2 Tbsp olive oil
700g pumpkin (peeled and de-seeded weight), diced into 4cm pieces
150g baby spinach leaves
3/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped coarsley

Walnut Vinegarette:

2 Tbsp walnut oil*
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180*C. Grease a 20cm x 30cm lamington tin and line with baking paper

2. Combine the water and stock in large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add polenta, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and cook, constantly stirring, for 10mins or until the polenta thickens. Stir in cheese then spread polenta into prepared pan. Cool 10 mins then cover. Refridgerate 1 hour or until polenta is firm.

3. Meanwhile, discard beetroot stems and leaves and quarter the beetroot (unpeeled). Place in a large, shallow baking dish, drizzle with half of the olive oil. Roast, uncovered, in 180*C oven for about 15mins.

4. Add pumpkin to the beetroot tray and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Roast, uncovered, in 180*C oven for about 30 mins or antil the vegetables are tender.

5. Meanwhile, make the walnut vinegarette, by combining all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake well.

6. When cool enough to handle, peel beetroot. Place in large bowl with dressing and toss gently to combine.

7. Turn polenta out onto a board and trim the edges. Cut polenta into 12 pieces and cook, in batches, on a heated, oiled grill plate (or under the griller, or on a barbecue) until browned on both sides and heated through.

8. Add the pumpkin, spinach and nuts to beetroot mixture and toss gently to combine. Divide polenta pieces among the serving plates and top with the salad.

* Note: If you do not have walnut oil, any other nut oil will do, e.g. peanut oil, macadamia nut oil, etc

Serves: 4

Rating: haven't tried this yet.