Get your VEGAN freak on!: Winter warmer defroster soup

The winter warmer soup

Soup on a winters day is essential to bring your body back up to less than frozen. Here is my winter warming soup it has ginger and paprika for a little kick as well as being really hearty. Enjoy.

Soup veggies x

Ingrediants

2 Tbs of oil ( i used mild olive )

1 large leek, cut into rings

2 medium potatoes, cubed

3 carrots, diced

2 sticks of celery, chopped

1 inch of ginger cut finely

3 cloves of garlic, chopped finely

1 cup of red lentils

1/2 cup of brown rice

1 tin of either chopped or plum tomatoes ( i used plum as they have a better flavour )

1 heaped teaspoon of vecon ( or stock cube would be fine )

1/2 tsp of paprika

1 tsp dried mixed herbs

1/2 tsp dried parsley

good pinch of sea salt

1/2 tsp pepper ( i used coarsely ground )

throw in the rice and lentils

Method

1. start off by getting a large stock pot ready on the stove with 2 Tbsp of oil on a medium heat. Add the leeks, carrots and celery and fry for around 5 mins

2. Add the potatoes and stir regularly for about 3 mins. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for around 2 mins.

3. Add the lentils and brown rice with the paprika, herbs and seasonings.

4. Add the tomatoes and break them up if they are the plum variety with the back of a spoon.

5. Make up two pints of stock using 1 heaped tsp of vecon or a stock cube. I use boiling water from the kettle to melt the vecon into the water. Add this to the stock pot.

6. Let the contents come to a boil then simmer ( around a 4 on the dial ) for around 45 mins to an hour. If the mixture looks a little dry do add upto a pint extra of water to keep everything free to boil. Check recularly and do stir to prevent sticking.

7.Serve when everything is tender and the brown rice is cooked through. I like a rustic chunky soup so i use a potato masher to mash the soup to give it a thicker and heartier consistency. You can liquidise if you prefer or serve as is.

Eat with compassion and joy.