Amy’s Soul Soup
Is there anything more warming on a cold winter’s day than a bowl of home made soup? Dietitian Amy Wilkinson's hearty lentil and vegetable soup is tasty and packed with the fibre and vitamins we need during winter months. “You can use whatever you have handy”, says Amy, a community dietitian in Knowsley.
“If you have children, it’s a great family activity. Mine love to get involved in measuring out ingredients and chopping vegetables. Kids enjoy eating food they’ve helped to cook and it helps them develop good eating habits as they get older.”
Ingredients
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 900ml reduced salt vegetable stock
• 50g dried red lentils
• Quarter teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
• 4 tablespoons low fat natural yoghurt (optional)
• Pinch of ground black pepper.
Method
1. Put the carrots, onion, red pepper, lentils and ginger (if using) into a large pan. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables and lentils are tender (about 25 mins).
2. Blend the soup using a hand held stick blender to the consistency you prefer. Or you can use a liquidiser or food processor if you have one. Season to taste with pepper.
3. Ladle the soup into four bowls and swirl the yoghurt on top (optional). Garnish with extra black pepper and chopped chives if using and serve!
To serve
- 2 teaspoons fresh chives (optional)
- 4 wholemeal bread rolls (Amy uses pitta bread cut into shapes with a cookie cutter).
Amy’s tips
- Double up on the ingredients and you’ve made two meals in one. Once cool, the soup can be kept in in the fridge for up to three days or frozen for up to three months.
- To save money, replace the pepper with 500g of carrots or add potatoes, tomatoes, sweet potato or butternut squash.
Callum’s quick chow mein
Callum Clarke has always had a passion for cooking and wants his own family to grow up loving fresh food and new flavours. Working fulltime as the Deputy Catering Manager at Ashworth Hospital, his time is precious and this nutritious, filling dish can be cooked in minutes.
This vegetable chow mein is one of my favourites – it’s full of flavour, fresh vegetables and is easy to adapt to your own taste.
Callum Clarke has always had a passion for cooking and wants his own family to grow up loving fresh food and new flavours. Working fulltime as the Deputy Catering Manager at Ashworth Hospital, his time is precious and this nutritious, filling dish can be cooked in minutes.
This vegetable chow mein is one of my favourites – it’s full of flavour, fresh vegetables and is easy to adapt to your own taste.
Recipe ingredients to serve 4
• Vegetable oil (rather than olive oil – its strong flavour can overpower the dish)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 100g carrot
• 120g pak choi
• 100g peppers (any colour)
• 150g baby corn
• 120g mushrooms (I like to use mixed mushrooms like shiitake, oyster and chestnut but you can use any)
• 100g beansprouts
• 90g water chestnuts
• 50g spring onion
• 10g ginger
• 1 medium sized chilli deseeded chilli (optional)
• 600g egg noodles.
To make the chow mein sauce
• 6 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 4 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp cornflour.
Method
1. Slice the vegetables as thinly as you can – this will help them cook quickly. To save time, do this the day before and store in the fridge.
2. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk. Set aside.
3. Boil the dried noodles for three to four minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, coat in a little sesame oil and set aside. (If you’re using fresh egg noodles, you can skip this step).
4. Drizzle two to three tbsp of vegetable oil into a wok or large pan and put on a medium to high heat.
5. Add onions and garlic and stir fry for a few seconds – don’t allow them to burn.
6. Add fresh ginger, the rest of the vegetables and water chestnuts and stir fry for a further minute.
7. Add the noodles to the vegetables and toss. Pour in the sauce mixture.
8. Bring the heat to high and stir fry for one to two minutes or until the sauce dries out.
9. Add the bean sprouts and spring onions. Toss everything well.
10. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Top Tip
Carrots can take longer to cook than other vegetables. Try using a potato peeler – this gives very thin slices which reduce cooking time and look beautiful on your plate.
Storage and leftovers
Making food in advance saves you time and money. Callum’s tips for safe ways to cool, store and reheat:
Refrigeration: allow the chow mein to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating: place the chow mein in a microwave safe dish and cover. Heat for two minutes, stir and then continue reheating in 30 to 60 second intervals (stirring inbetween) until heated through. Or reheat in a hot wok or pan, adding a splash of water or soy sauce to prevent the noodles from drying out.
How to stir fry
Fry food quickly while stirring briskly with a wooden spoon. A wok is the perfect pan to use but a large frying pan or saucepan will work just as well.
Do it your way
Substitute or include your favourite veg (or any that need using up!) Add chillis for spiciness or oyster sauce for a punch. You can also add chicken, pork or prawn for extra protein – cook this first and then add to the pan with the noodles. To make vegan friendly, use egg free noodles and tofu.
Good food, good health – Gary’s favourite chilli
When you’re recovering from illness, your body is working hard to repair and rebuild. Choosing foods with the right nutrients is essential for building yourself back up.
When Linda's husband Gary was diagnosed with pneumonia and pleurisy, he recovered with his family at home under the care of Mersey Care's Telehealth team. Linda cooked him his favourite chicken chipotle chilli, which is full of vegetables and protein but low in salt and fat. The chilli is just as tasty meat free - leave the chicken out and use any vegetables you have. It’s also perfect for batch cooking and freezing, which is great news when you are short on time.
Recipe ingredients to serve 4
• Spoonful of olive oil
• 3 or 4 chicken fillets, cut into chunks
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped or minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 or 2 tablespoons chipotle chilli paste
• 2 x 400g cans tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato puree
• 200g button mushrooms, cut into quarters
• 1 x 410g can green lentils in water (drained)
• 1 x 400g can kidney beans in chilli sauce
• 200g fat free fromage frais
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
• A pinch of smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper to season
• 300g basmati or long grain rice
• Lime wedges to serve.
Method
1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and stir fry for 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken and stir fry for about 5 minutes until cooked through. Add more oil if necessary.
2. Add cumin, cinnamon, chipotle chilli paste, cherry tomatoes and tomato puree. Season to taste, bring to boil and simmer with a lid on for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Stir in the mushrooms, lentils and kidney beans, then simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
4. Swirl in the fromage frais and sprinkle with chopped coriander and paprika.
5. Serve with cooked rice and a wedge of lime.