Forest Bouquet and Chilli Peanut Carrot Soup

Exercise for me has been by green prescription: being in the garden, weeding, toiling and sowing seeds in the sunshine.  I know i am lucky. 

I have not ventured far from the house or garden though, but yesterday I left the house for 'exercise' reconnecting with nature, but also to collect some 'sticks' to build bean frames for the vegetable plot.

Loaded Vegetable Tart

Every day is still a work day, but after I finished work.  I put my lap top away and find other ways to distract myself.  Ideally, I would like to read a book recommended by some colleagues, but after staring at the computer all day, the last thing I want to do is read more words. So I find comfort flicking through my cookbooks and looking for recipes and inspiration as to what I can cook at home with what we have to hand. Then I find my way to the kitchen and cook.

Today its this Loaded Vegetable Tart.

I say loaded as I piled the puff pastry with way more roasted vegetable than needed.  This was not a pick up and eat with your hands tart, it was very much a knife and fork one. I could have just been sensible and kept the additional roasted butternut squash, sweet potatoes and carrots for another meal, but no I go in heavy handed. Still no harm, it was all eaten.

The only let down was the sliced tomatoes on top, they were pretty flavourless. I look forward to growing and eating my own.

Orange and Carrot Soup

Yesterday I shared a Orange and Cumin Madeira Cake and as promised, today have a Orange Carrot Soup for you. It not just orange in colour, its also orange in flavour too.

I am not normally into sweet soups, but I enjoyed as it was not overly candied.  The orange gave the soup a citrus lift.  This was originally a Lemon and Carrot Soup, but I substituted the lemons with oranges. 

It was such a pretty bowl soup to look at too, enhanced further by a thinly sliced piece of orange on top as garnish accompanying the fresh parsley from the garden.  

I am sharing this Orange and Carrot Soup with Soup, Salad and Sammies hosted by Kahakai Kitchen. 

Other Carrot Soup Recipes

Carrot and Thyme Soup 

Carrot and Coriander Soup

Carrot and Potato Soup

Carrot Soup with Tamarind Swirl

Vegetarian Vegan Shepherds Pie the old fashion way

I made this vegan Shepherds Pie the old fashion vegetarian way with lentils.  

What made me smile was that I made a similar recipe, exactly a year ago with soy mince and mashed potato topping was enhanced with seasonal wild garlic that is plenty abound this year if you know where to look.  Unfortunately due to Covid-19 and instructions to stay at home and quarantine for the fourth week and set to continue for another three weeks, I will not be visiting my wild garlic spot. 

D and me were going to go for a little walk not far from where we live as we found a stream a little while back and wondered, if there was any Wild garlic growing there - but because of the April showers we haven't stepped today to explore, perhaps tomorrow.  To be truthful.  I have only been out for a long walk outside of my house only once since quarantine, I do need to stretch my legs and get some exercise - gardening every other day is not enough. 

This Shepherds pie is made with made with Beluga lentils, but use whatever lentils you have at home - green or brown, but not orange lentil as that will go to mush and are more suited to dal recipes, soups and stews, or at least that is what I think. 

This recipe is actually adapted from one of my most popular recipes (see my side bar) Fiery Chili Welsh Red Dragon Shepherds Pie. 

The recipe would serve a family with a side of green vegetables, but for us it makes a large quantity for two people, so we had this over three days. On one of the days, the topping was thinly sliced sweet potatoes. 

So what are you up to this weekend? and What have you been eating lately?  

I have been in the kitchen cooking and baking, and in a little while may plonk myself in front of the TV to watch some mindless nonsense, read a book or set myself a craft project - I am still deciding.

Easy Sweet and Spicy Carrot and Chickpea Stew

I make this easy Spicy Stew on days when I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen; or if I am feeling a little unwell.  It has made an appearance on my food blog before in various guises.  

Its easy, because all you do is chop and prepare the veg and throw the rest of the ingredients in a large pot and then let the oven do the rest of the work.  It's what I guess people describe as 'one pot meals'. 

I often vary the vegetables with whats in season.  On this occasion I had a lot of carrots that required using up, hence the sweet in the recipe title as carrots impart sweetness.

Enjoy as it is as it's quite filling with the beans and bulgar wheat, but if you want to make more of a meal with it - then serve with some good crusty bread.

I am sharing this with My Legume Love Affair #126 which I am hosting this month.  The food blog challenge was started by Susan from The Well Seasoned Cook and continues thanks to Lisa's Kitchen.  

Spiced Vegetable Stew
Serves 4 - 6
Ingredients 
1 onion, finely sliced 4 carrots, peeled and sliced into half moons if large
1 x 400g tin of tomatoes, crushed
2 tablespoon tomato paste 
60g bulgar wheat 
4 tablespoons olive oil 
2 - 4 fat red chillies, pierced 
2 teaspoons of dried parsley
2 teaspoons ground cumin 
2 teaspoons ground coriander 
Salt and pepper to taste 
900ml or 1 ½ pint vegetable stock 
1 x 400g tin of chick peas 
Optional: 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnishing
Optional: drizzle with some good extra  olive oil
Method
In a ovenproof casserole pot (with lid) add the onion, carrots, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, bulgar wheat, red chillies, spices, salt and pepper to taste and pour over the stock.

Cover with the lid and place in oven gas mark 4/180oc for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and stir in the chickpeas, replace the lid and cook for a further 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender
Remove from the oven, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving with chopped parsley and a drizzle of good extra olive oil.
Adapted from this Clay Pot Vegetable Stew.

Turmeric Carrot Cake

Well this bug that has been knocking people for six finally hit me too.  I was in bed most of the week and my plans to take advantage of the good weather and dig the earth was a flop.  Here's hoping I am much better by the weekend and can get some seeds started at least. 

I made this cake just before I got unwell.  I had been wanting to eat cake for a while, but not a cake that was too indulgent.  

So I had decided on carrot cake when I saw two carrots languishing in my veg basket.  I got to work in the kitchen, grating the carrot.  

The idea of turmeric was really an afterthought, but I am glad I added it as it gave the cake a yellow tinge!

I guess I could have made it sweeter with butter icing on top, but I just wanted a simple cake, and a slice of this satisfied that want.

Other Turmeric Recipes on the Blog

Turmeric Nasturtium Pancakes

Turmeric Flapjacks

Turmeric Pasta with Blood Orange Dressing

Curried Shepherds Pie topped with Turmeric Mash

Turmeric Lemon Courgette Orzo

Turmeric Risotto with Preserved Lemons

Turmeric Cream New Potatoes

Turmeric Shakshouka with Eggs

Black Chickpeas and Carrot Curry Perfect for Halloween

I am going to a gig tonight and am looking forward to it.  It hosted at a Miners Institute in the Welsh valleys.  D is taking his camera, so who knows I may be able to share more later in the week, but before I go off gallivanting, I thought I would share this orange and black bowl of food.

Yes, another one, that is perfect for those cooking up a feast for the Halloween weekend. 

The black comes from black chickpeas and orange from carrots or course, for the beady eyed amongst you there are some 'brain like' pieces in the bowl too, this is cauliflower that has turned orange from the turmeric.

The recipe is adapted from my vegan Marrow Curry with Chickpeas, but this one is studded with black chickpeas and in place of the marrow, carrots and cauliflower. Please don't worry too much if you can't find black chickpeas where you are, just substitute it with the traditional variety.

Hot Chocolate Beluga Lentils with Rainbow Carrots

This is not the most attractive looking of dishes that I have shared on my blog, but I think its the perfect time for to pretend and say that I made it for a Halloween party and what you are seeing here are some damn ugly zombie or monster fingers coming out of the earthy ground.  

Truth is, this is spicy beluga lentils chili or sorts enhanced with chilli chocolate and the so called fingers are actually rainbow carrots. I guess to make this dish look even more horrific, I should have only used the purple carrots, that appear to be more effective in resembling fingers with the wrinkles. 

Despite the way it looks, it actually tasted okay.  

I don't cook that much with Beluga lentils as Puy lentils tend to be my go to in terms of sturdy lentils that keep their shape and do not disintegrate upon long cooking, but don't let that stop you from making this dish (if you dare),  you can use brown lentils, I find them just as tasty, if not more so. 

I served these with sweet potato wedges, soured cream to dampen the hotness, and even for me it was really hot  I am sharing this with My Legume Love Affair #121 hosted by Jagruti Cooking Odyssey.  The challenge was started by Susan from The Well Seasoned Cook and continues thanks to Lisa's Kitchen.  

Other Beluga and Puy Lentil Recipes
Beetroot Bourguignon with Puy Lentils
Leek and Puy Lentil Flan
Gratin of Cabbage with Puy Lentils
Strawberry, Tomato and Puy Lentil Curry
Beluga Lentil Salad with Avocado

Savoury Purple Rainbow Carrot Rice Pilau

I have more autumnal coloured food coming your way, but here is one that you may want to consider making for your grown up Halloween Party.  I made this Carrot Rice Pilau with some rainbow carrots.  I was quite surprised how the purple carrots bled into the white basmati rice and tainted it with a purple hue.  It actually looked quite pretty and quite nice to eat.  

As I had some left over, I decided to take some into work for lunch as a savoury rice salad dish.  You could reheat it in the microwave or eat it at room temperature. So I have decided to share it with Soup, Salad and Sammies Sundays hosted by Deb over at Kahakai Kitchen. 

By the way this is not the traditional way of making pilau rice that comes from the Indian Sub Continent, but it was still very flavourful.  I adapted a recipe that was also adapted by the cookbook authors.  

Other Rainbow Coloured Vegan Recipes 

Savoury Chestnut, Rainbow Carrot and Lentil Cake

Rainbow Carrots, Puy Lentil and Barley Salad

Rainbow Chard Bundles

Harissa Rainbow Carrots with Maftoul

Mosaic Carrot Pie

Rainbow Bell Pepper Spaghetti

Rainbow Vegetables with Soba Noodles

Simple Roasted Beetroot and Carrot Salad

Bourguignon of Mushrooms, Red Onions and Rainbow Carrots

A few weeks ago I went on a fungi forage, except it wasn't a fungi forage - 'why would you want to eat them?' exclaimed the fungi expert when he heard one of the participants (not me) ask her friend 'are these edible?'.  

The reason I am talking about mushrooms is because my  Bourguignon here looks a bit like an autumnal forest ground - mushrooms, green grassy colours from the long needle shaped leaves from rosemary herb, leaves in the form of bay leaf and lots of autumnal colours, but here everything is edible - I wonder what Alice in Wonderland would think?!

I think this dish is best made on a day like today when it's awfully dreadful, damp and dreich outside in Cymru aka Wales.  I am so glad its the weekend and I don't have to be in work or anywhere else today and can stay in the comfort of my home.  I am glad of it actually as its been a rather busy week at work too.  

As well as a medley of mushrooms, I had also picked up some rainbow carrots from the market in Cardiff, and if that did not provide enough colour - I decided in place of shallots to throw in some small red onions. If you look closely you will even seen flecks of green from fresh rosemary from the garden.  

We will be tucking into this textual dish with some homemade overnight sourdough bread later to mop up that rich vegetable flavoured gravy; and if we have some left over, perhaps with some mashed potato.

What have you been cooking lately?