11 Feb RECIPES | 3 WINTER SOUPS TO KEEP YOU WARM AND COZY

1 TUSCAN TOMATO TORTELLINI SOUP

I’ve been making a variation of this soup for years. It begun as a means to comfort my cravings for England where I used to blissfully eat tons of tomato soup. Then the mediterranean element kicked in during a long summer in Greece when we had an abundance of juicy, ripe tomatoes and somewhere in between we must have had a handful of homemade left over tortellini which we didn’t want to go to waste..

HOW TO:

1. In a large saucepan, saute the onions, garlic,  potatoes and carrots in the olive oil over medium heat until soft and golden.
2. Add the wine to layer the flavours and enrich the taste or skip that part if you prefer and go in with the  tomatoes and veggie stock. Add the salt, pepper, dried basil/oregano/spices of your choice.Simmer.
3. Puree the soup in a blender, then pour back into the saucepan and simmer again for a while until the desired consistency is achieved.

Serve and add the tortellini. If you are using store-bought tortellini, that’s fine I bet they are delicious! If you are in the mood to take it to the next level and make your own vegan pasta here’s my favourite homemade pasta recipe borrowed from the iconic Vegan Sandra:

2 CAULIFLOWER CHOWDER

A great transitional recipe for those who are going vegan. (big hug to you). The potatoes and the splash of plant milk keep it creamy and give it some heft,but it’s also light and makes a great mid-week dinner.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in the cauliflower and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until barely crisp-tender.

Whisk in the flour until lightly browned. Gradually whisk in the broth and vegan milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until the cauliflower is tender. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

When the weather gets awfully cold I like to add some chilly as well to my bowl, but that’s just a matter of personal preference.

3 Leek Celery & Spinach.

A lovely way to welcome the leeks when the season hits, or to put your frozen spinach and celery to good use. Toasted warm bread and humus will make a nice accompaniment to this one, on a very cold winter night..

1. Heat the oil in a pot over a medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook until the leeks are soft but not brown.
2. Add the celery,and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes. Add the spinach and parsley and take off the heat as you want them to retain their bright green colour.
3. Blend the mixture to a smooth consistency using a hand blender. Add nutmeg and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with a dollop of coconut cream, or a simple drizzle of olive oil.

Please feel free to leave your comments below, let me know what you think, what your favorite soups are and don’t forget to tag me with your recreations on instagram or facebook. I would love to check out your culinary endeavours!