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: Strawberry Shortcake (Vegetarian recipe)

What's the first ingredient that you think of when someone says 'Birthday cake'? Chocolate? Vanilla? Salted Caramel? Nope, this year I decided to celebrate with something completely different; a Strawberry Shortcake. 

It might seem like an odd choice but the main ingredient that I wanted to include was fresh Strawberries, and bizarrely, I didn't fancy making a chocolate cake (although I assure you, I'll be eating some chocolate in its classic bar form later this evening!). Instead, I opted for something seasonal, fresh, with all the indulgence of an English Afternoon Tea, and thus this delicious Strawberry Shortcake was made from scratch in my kitchen earlier today.

I'm so pleased with how it turned out as I ended up tweaking the recipe from a couple that I found on Pinterest to suit what I had in my cupboards. This cake is like a giant scone that's both dense and fluffy inside, topped with an overly generous amount of whipped organic Ricotta. To finish it off, I've added fresh Strawberries that have been lightly cooked in a zingy Orange syrup to bring out all of their juicy flavours. 

Heaven in every mouthful!

Ingredients (makes 1 large cake)

For the cake:-

• 250g Plain Flour
• 1 tbsp Baking Powder
• 1 organic, free-range Egg
• 2 tbsp Coconut Sugar
• 50g organic Butter (cold & cubed)
• 80ml Almond or Soy Milk
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• Pinch of Salt

For the topping:-

• 250g organic Ricotta
• 250g fresh Strawberries
• Juice of 1 Orange
• 1 tbsp Coconut Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 1 Star Anise

Method

• Preheat the oven to 220C / Gas Mark 7 and line a 20cm cake tin with greaseproof paper.
• In a large bowl, add the Flour, Baking Powder, Sugar and Salt and mix well. Add the Butter and mix into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until it resembles something that looks like fine sand and then make a well in the centre.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the Egg, Milk and Vanilla Extract.
• Pour this into the well and gently stir everything together. Once you are near a dough like consistency, use your hands to give the mixture a light knead so that everything is fully combined.
• Place into the lined cake tin and gently press the mixture down. Bake in the oven for around 15 minutes until the top is a light golden brown and a skewer in the middle comes out clean.

• Whilst the cake is baking make fruit topping by adding the chopped fresh Strawberries to a small saucepan with all the other ingredients, except the Ricotta. Simmer for 3-4 minutes to allow the Strawberries to soften slightly. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• When the cake is done, take it out of the oven and allow to cool fully before adding the topping otherwise everything will run off!
• First, place the Ricotta in a bowl and with a fork, lightly whisk it to a whipped consistency. Spread over the cake and finish with the Strawberries and a generous drizzle of the Orange syrup from the saucepan. 
• Cut into slices and enjoy!

Storage tip: Enjoy this cake ASAP and store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

P.S: Thank you everyone for the Birthday wishes on social! :)

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Foodie Friday: Apple, Blackberry & Rhubarb Crumble (Vegetarian / Refined Sugar Free recipe)

Is there anything more comforting and delicious than a bowl of warm fruit crumble served with either custard or ice cream? This version uses a lot less sugar than traditional recipes, but it's still utterly satisfying. 

Despite it being only mid-August, the weather has turned rather chilly and Autumnal lately (I'm literally sitting here typing this with my favourite cosy jumper on and a cinnamon-scented candle burning in the background), which has me craving more filling and comforting types of desserts. This Apple, Blackberry & Rhubarb Crumble is exactly what I needed after a long week, and it's a great way to truly appreciate all of the flavours that are the classic hallmarks of the British fruit season right now.

Ingredients: (makes around six portions)

• 3 medium-sized Bramley Apples
• 5 sticks of Rhubarb
• 200g Blackberries
• 50g Coconut Sugar 
• 150g Plain Flour
• 50g Porridge Oats
• 75g cold, unsalted & cubed Butter
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
• Pinch of Salt

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 190C / Gas Mark 5.
• Peel, core and chop the Apples into small pieces. Chop off any woody parts of the Rhubarb and cut into bite-size sticks. 
• In a large saucepan with a lid, add 10g of Coconut Sugar, the chopped Apples and Rhubarb with a splash of water, and cook over a medium heat for 10-15 minutes until the fruit starts to gently soften. Stir occasionally and add more water if needed to prevent sticking.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the Blackberries, Cinnamon and Ground Ginger. Add the lid again and set aside.
• In a large bowl, add the Plain Flour, the remaining Coconut Sugar, cubed Butter, Oats and a pinch of Salt, and rub together with your fingers until the mixture resembles something similar to breadcrumbs.
• In a baking dish, add the fruit, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top, ensuring that everything is thoroughly covered. 
• Bake for 25-35 minutes until the top is lightly golden brown. Serve warm or cold with custard or ice cream. Enjoy!

Storage tip: This crumble will keep in the fridge for 2-4 days in a foil covered dish. Alternatively, you can freeze it either whole or in portions in an airtight container or in freezer bags for up to a month. 

What are your favourite fruits to have in a crumble?

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