Foodie Friday: Creamy Leek, Chickpea & Sweet Potato Soup (Vegan) recipe

It's been a chilly start to March so this comforting bowl of vegan-friendly Creamy Leek, Chickpea & Sweet Potato Soup is the perfect way to warm yourself up! 

Despite being a foodie, I've never been much of a fan of Onions and have always favoured using Leeks in their place wherever I can. Leeks have a much more subtle flavour overall, and I feel that Onions can sometimes overpower a dish, especially if you're not particularly keen on them in the first place. 

This homemade Creamy Leek, Chickpea & Sweet Potato Soup really brings out the best flavours of seasonal Leeks and when combined with the natural sweetness of the Sweet Potato and the creaminess of the Chickpeas, it's easy to see why this is a vegan-friendly favourite! The Chickpeas also add protein so this is a great recipe to try if you want something healthy, warming and filling.

Ingredients (makes 4-6 portions)

• 300g Leeks (washed & finely sliced with the darkest green end parts removed)
• 400g Sweet Potatoes (peeled & roughly chopped into small chunks)
• 1 tin of Chickpeas (drained - save the aquafaba water for a vegan meringue or dessert!)
• 500ml Vegetable Stock
• 2 cloves of Garlic (peeled & crushed or finely chopped)
• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper to season
• Nutritional Yeast or Hemp Seeds to serve (optional)

Method

• Place the Sweet Potatoes in a large saucepan and pour over hot water so that they are fully submerged. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid for 15 minutes.
• In a separate pan add the Leeks, Garlic and 1tbsp of the Olive Oil, sauteing for around 5 minutes until they start to caramelise. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Drain the Sweet Potatoes and return to the large saucepan. Add the Vegetable Stock, Chickpeas and sauteed Leeks, stirring everything together. Cook over a simmering heat for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.
• Transfer to a food processor, add the remaining 1 tbsp of Olive Oil and blend until you reach your desired soup texture - I prefer mine to be mostly thick and smooth.
• Serve immediately whilst still hot with a little Salt & Pepper to season. You can add Nutritional Yeast or Hemp Seeds for an optional sprinkle of extra flavour if desired.

Storage tip: I don't find that potato-based soups freeze very well, so it's best to keep this one in a suitable covered container in the fridge and consume within 2-3 days.

Are you a fan of homemade soups?

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Foodie Friday: Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Soup (Vegan / Dairy-Free recipe)

The weather is awful so it's time to embrace those simple pleasures in life, such as cosying up on the sofa with a hot bowl of homemade soup.  This easy Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Soup recipe will warm you up in no time at all!

Soups are a great way to use up leftover veg and once you get into the habit of making your own (and it's pretty addictive when you start), you'll quickly find that you'll never want to eat a ready-made can of soup ever again. Homemade really is best here and I'm sure you'll agree once you've tasted this delicious recipe.

I always try to make sure that I incorporate plenty of naturally red coloured foods into my diet as they are packed full of super-healthy antioxidants and essential vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin A (beta-carotene), Vitamin C, manganese and lycopene, as well as being a good source of dietary fibre. Cooking tomatoes, in particular, helps them to release more of the antioxidant lycopene which helps to protect the heart and even lowers the risk of some forms of cancer.

Not only that, but roasting the tomatoes and red peppers for this recipe takes this soup to the next level up in terms of adding even more flavour, so it's well worth taking the extra time to do this, and once your soup is ready, you'll have a whole batch to see you through the week for some speedy lunches or dinners. Yum!

Ingredients (makes four servings - simply double the ingredients to make a bigger batch if you're meal prepping)

• 4 medium-sized Red Peppers
• 400g Plum Tomatoes
• 1 small White Onion
• 1 stick of Celery
• 3-4 cloves of Garlic, depending on taste
• 2tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4tbsp Tomato Puree
• 400ml Vegetable Stock
• Salt & Pepper to season
• Drizzle of Coconut Milk (optional)
• Chilli Flakes (optional)

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200C / Gas Mark 4. Cut the Red Peppers in half and discard the ribs and seeds. Halve the Tomatoes and Onion, and place everything on a baking tray, along with the Garlic to roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes until soft. 
• In a large saucepan, mix together the Vegetable Stock and Tomato Puree. Finely chop the Celery and add it to the saucepan, simmering over a medium heat for 10 minutes.
• Remove the peel from the roasted Onion and Garlic and add them to the saucepan for 5 minutes, before adding the roasted Red Peppers, Tomatoes and Olive Oil. Simmer for another 5 minutes to allow all of the flavours to infuse.
• Add a drizzle of Coconut Milk if using and transfer everything to a food processor. Blend until smooth and pour a serving into a bowl. 
• Season with Salt & Pepper, and sprinkle over some Chili Flakes if you like a little spice. Enjoy immediately whilst the soup is still hot with some slices of toasted sourdough.

Storage tip: Once thoroughly cooled, this soup will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days or it can be frozen in batches for up to a month. Ensure it is fully defrosted before reheating and always serve piping hot.

Do you enjoy making your own soup?

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Foodie Friday: 10 Minute Blueberry Chia Jam (Vegan / Refined Sugar-Free recipe) #NationalCreamTeaDay

Happy National Cream Tea Day! To mark the occasion, I wanted to share a ridiculously easy way to make a delicious homemade Blueberry Chia Jam in around 10 minutes.

As I was scrolling through Twitter earlier, I noticed that it's National Cream Tea Day today which inspired me to make one of my go-to prepping recipes; Blueberry Chia Jam. I always like to have a pot of homemade jam in the fridge and this one is a great way to use up any blueberries that you may have which are turning a little soft. Blueberries are a really fantastic superfood which are packed with antioxidants and Vitamin C, and now that they're in season, they're much cheaper (and tastier) to purchase in bulk.  

To get a thicker, wobbly, jammy-like consistency going on, I've used Chia Seeds, another popular superfood thanks to their high omega-3, fibre and protein content, and to keep the jam as healthy as possible, I've opted for a small amount of Maple Syrup to add sweetness without the crazy refined sugar crashes.

This Blueberry Chia Jam tastes incredible slathered onto a thick slice of Sourdough Toast with an optional layer of your favourite nut butter underneath for an easy breakfast, slapped onto crackers or simply indulge and use it for a decadent Afternoon Cream Tea spread. P.S: Simply halve the amount of ingredients if you want to make a smaller pot.

Ingredients (makes around 200g)

• 220g fresh Blueberries
• 2 tbsp Chia Seeds
• 2 tbsp pure Maple Syrup
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• Pinch of Sea Salt

Method

• Place a large saucepan over a medium heat and add in the Blueberries. Cook for around 5 minutes, occasionally stirring and squashing the berries down into the pan with a spatula to create your desired texture (lumpy or smooth - you choose!).
• Remove the pan from the heat and add in the Maple Syrup, Lemon Juice, Vanilla Extract and Sea Salt. Stir and taste, adding in more Lemon Juice or Maple Syrup if required.
• Add the Chia Seeds, stir and then leave it to thicken for a further 5 minutes. 
• Once completely cooled, pour the jam into a sterilised jar with a lid and pop it into the fridge where it naturally thicken up a little more. Enjoy!

Storage tip: This jam will keep in the fridge in a sealed jar for up to a week.

Do you always have a pot of jam in your fridge?

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Foodie Friday: Homemade Hummus / Houmous (Vegan recipe)

Hummus is one of the most popular dips for crunchy vegetable sticks, making it a healthy snack to enjoy at any time of the day. This Middle Eastern favourite can be found in virtually every supermarket in the UK, but you haven't probably tasted how amazing Hummus can be until you've made it from scratch yourself!

Is it Houmous or Hummus? I'll stick with its traditional Arabic spelling for this feature as the name is derived from the Arabic word for Chickpeas and if you're not yet a diehard Hummus fan, Chickpeas are the base of this tasty dip. I'm a massive fan of Hummus and regularly whip up a big batch at the weekend to see me through the week ahead, although sometimes it doesn't always last that long! 

Hummus is essentially a paste of chickpeas which have been blitzed together with a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Garlic and Tahini. I would definitely recommend using dried Chickpeas over the tinned variety as I find that they have so much more flavour and if you buy a big bag, it's often more economical as well. Chickpeas are high in fibre and contain a range of essential vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin K, Iron, Zinc, Manganese, Calcium, Phosphate and Magnesium. They're also high in protein, making them particularly beneficial for vegetarians and vegans. 

Give this recipe a go and you'll never buy shop-bought Hummus ever again!

Ingredients: (makes one large tub)

• 250g cooked Chickpeas
• 2tsp Tahini
• 3tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 cloves of Garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp Water
• 2-3 tbsp freshly squeezed Lemon Juice (to taste)
• Pinch of Salt & Black Pepper

Method:

• If using dried Chickpeas, rinse and then soak 125g (they will double in size) in water for 8 hours or leave overnight. Rinse well and place in a saucepan. Cover with water, bring to the boil, then cover with a lid, reduce to a simmer and cook for 45-50 minutes. Drain.
• Add the cooked Chickpeas to a blender and add all of the other ingredients. Start with 2tbsp of Lemon Juice, blitz until smooth and then taste, adding extra afterwards if wanted. 
• If you find that your Hummus is too thick (the overall texture will depend on the quality of the chickpeas that you're using), you can add a splash more water. Blend again if necessary.
• Transfer to a sealable container and store in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.

Already tried plain Hummus? Give it a twist by blending in some roasted Red Pepper, or you could add your favourite spices such as Turmeric or Paprika for something different!

Have you made Hummus from scratch before?

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