Vegan chicken noodle soup recipe

The other day a colleague brought a chicken noodle soup in for lunch. It looked really yummy and I was like you know what? I can veganize that! So away I went to invent this recipe. It's quick, easy, very very yummy, and doesn't involve any dead animals.

Serves: 4-6

2 carrots, diced into small pieces
2 sticks celery, diced into small pieces
2 onions, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
250g vermicelli pasta, broken into 1/3 lengths (or use angel hair pasta if you can find it, I couldn't get any!)
3L vegan chicken stock (I am a fan of Massel powdered stock)
A big handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tbsp Nuttelex

1. Melt the Nuttelex in a large saucepan, then add the carrot, celery, and onion and fry for 5 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes. Then add stock and bring to the boil.

3. Add the pasta and stir. Boil soup for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked.

4. Stir in the chopped parsley and serve.

Happy eating! :)

Warming Winter stew recipe

There's just something about cold rainy nights that makes me want to eat warm, nutritious comfort food! Slow cooking food is the best because it makes the house smell all yummy and cozy. This is a favourite stew of ours, a hearty meal to warm your soul.

We used liquid smoke in this, which we bought during our Everything Vegan shopping spree. It really is a fantastic product, if you haven't tried it you should!

Serves: 6-8

4 large potatoes (or 6 smallish ones)

3 large carrots

2 parsnips

2 swedes/turnips

2 large brown onions

1 cup pearl barley

2.5L beef stock (Massel brand is vegan)

1 tsp liquid smoke

1. Peel the potatoes, parsnips, and swedes/turnips and chop into 1cm cubes. Peel the carrots and chop the smaller half into coins, and the thicker half into semi-circular pieces. Dice the onions.

2. Put all ingredients into a large saucepan, cover, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 2 hours, stirring twice.

Happy eating! :)

Lentil stew recipe

I like a nice stew on a wintry evening. This one is hearty, warming, nutritious, and has been a favourite of mine since I was a child.

Serves: 4-6

3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, diced
4 carrots, sliced
4 sticks celery, diced
2 zucchini, sliced
1 punnet mushrooms, quartered
1 clove garlic, minced
400g tin diced tomatoes
120g tin tomato paste
6-7 cups water
1 1/2 cups brown lentils
2-3 bay leaves
Salt and pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and zucchini and saute for 10 minutes.

2. Add remaining ingredients to the pot, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 1 hour. Check the stew halfway through cooking, stir, and add more water if necessary.

Happy eating! :)

French onion soup recipe

For Christmas I asked for a food processor and when I unpacked the beautiful thing, I found that at the back of the instruction manual was a whole section of recipes! Score! Double present! I thought to myself, and hastily cut out the recipes I liked. This soup recipe is the first one I have made and it's fantastic, especially for an instruction manual! Unfortunately I have to say that I didn't have any brandy on hand, so I can't say how good it would be with that added. However, I'm sure it would only add to the deliciousness and plan to use it next time!

Serves 2-3

4 large onions (about 1kg)
50g Nuttelex
1tsp olive oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
50ml brandy
750ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme

1. Using the slicing attachment of the food processor, thinly slice all the onions. If you don't have a food processor to do your slicing for you (and give you delicious recipes), then you'll have to cut them in halves or quarters and slice them thinly by hand, you poor thing.

2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the Nuttelex and oil, then add the onion. Cook until onion is golden brown.

3. Add the brown sugar and brandy and cook off for 5 minutes.

4. Add the stock, balsamic vinegar, bay leaves, and thyme, and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes.

5. Fish out bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Serve.

Happy eating! :)

Mexican Bean Soup Recipe

This soup is quite hearty and seems like it's been lovingly cooked all day (it's quick though!). Very warming and satisfying and a great crowd-pleaser. Please note: you will need a food processor for this soup.

Serves 4

2 onions, finely chopped
Canola oil
3 tsp minced garlic
3 tsp chili powder
2 tins kidney beans (425g each)
1 tin kidney beans (425g) pureed in a food processor
1 tsp ground cumin
400ml vegan beef stock (I use Massel brand)
Salsa

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook onions in a little oil for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and chili powder and cook for a further 1 minute.

2. Add whole beans, pureed beans, cumin, and beef stock. Stir well.

3. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve into bowls and top with a generous dollop of salsa.

Happy eating! :)

Little Bit Fancy Tomato Soup Recipe

Let's face it, sometimes times are tough. During these times, Heinz Big Red Tomato Soup has always been there for me. Cheap, satisfying, and yummy with toast, it's all a financially challenged vegan can ask for. Despite the fact that you can make a creamy version (just add 1/2 tin soy milk and 1/2 tin water, rather than 1 tin water), and sometimes I add pasta to spice it up (dinosaur shapes are a favourite), it can begin to get a little boring after a while. Enter the Little Bit Fancy Tomato Soup.

I actually stole this idea from one of my workplaces, a child care centre, and it has become Jeff's favourite way to have tomato soup.

Serves 2

1 tin Heinz Big Red Condensed Tomato Soup
1 tin crushed tomatoes
Couple of handfuls of basil, roughly chopped
Water
2 tomatoes, diced (optional)

1. Combine condensed soup and 1 tin water, as directed on soup tin, in a saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add tinned tomatoes and diced fresh tomatoes (optional). Bring to the boil.

3. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Serve.

Getting bored of buttered toast? For something more interesting you could rub the toast with a peeled garlic clove to make crunchy garlic toast.

Happy eating! :)

Creamy Pumpkin and Coconut Soup Recipe

This is a recipe I came up with on the fly, but it doesn't show! I'm a big fan of comfort food and this dish definitely ticks all the boxes. It makes you feel warm and snuggly on the inside, like a hug for your tummy.

Serves: a lot! At least 6 I would say

1.5kg butternut pumpkin, cubed
2 carrots, chopped into slices roughly 1.5-2cm thick
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp ground ginger (or you could use fresh if you have it)
400ml tin coconut milk
1L vegetable stock
500ml water
Nuttelex for frying

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, fry the onions in the butter until softened. Add the ginger and fry, stirring, for 30 seconds.

2. Add the pumpkin and carrot, stir, and then add the stock and water. Bring to the boil and then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Remove from heat. Using a stick blender or food processor, blend soup until no lumps remain. Stir in the coconut milk and return to a medium heat. Warm the soup through again and then serve.

Happy eating! :)

Minestrone soup recipe

This soup is quick, easy, delicious, healthy, and filling. Couldn't ask for more right? Wrong! It's also vegan which means it is completely cruelty free.

Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
400g tin cannellini beans
1L vegetable stock
1L water
1 1/2 cups dried pasta shells
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and add the onion, celery, and carrot. Fry until onion is soft.

2. Add the garlic. Fry for 1 minute before adding the tomatoes, beans, stock, and water.

3. Bring to the boil then reduce to simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

4. Add the pasta and cook for a further 10 minutes or until pasta is cooked.

5. Mix in chopped parsley and serve.

Happy eating :)