Oh, What to Cook?!

I would not describe myself as being an enthusiastic cook. I have always cooked and am reasonably good at it, but it just doesn't excite me and it's not something I do for fun. I do enjoy having a variety of recipes to call on, but at the same time, like to just whip something together because I know how. I have never really been one to trawl through a recipe book with the idea of making something new.

So today, I wasn't feeling inspired by my usual recipes, so asked Nathan what he would like for dinner. He disappeared off out of the room and started to look through the cookbooks, so I said to find something he liked - not really seriously thinking he would come up with something appropriate (thought he might stop in the cake or dessert section). Well he found something he liked and presented it to me. Creamy Lentil and Vegetable Soup. Hmmm.....interesting....sounds like it could be a goer. So after a quick scan through the ingredients I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a seasonal recipe (which matched with seasonal organic vegetables we have delivered weekly) and I had all vegetables and other ingredients required. It even met the "criteria" * for that night.

* We have made a commitment to eating vegetarian/vegan meals every 2nd night. I initially had in my head that we'd eat vegetarian "2 or 3 times a week" - but I found it easier to be disciplined by having a set rule on it. Suits us good and makes it easier for making the decision on what to eat that night too - we actually tend to eat it several nights in a row if I have a new recipe to try out (yes! I'm actually starting to enjoy cooking and will look for new exciting things to make). Initially we started eating a lot more vegetarian meals when Nathan was around 12mths old as he seemed very adverse to eating meat. So rather than stressing over it and going to all lengths to get meat into him, I switched us onto a half and half vegetarian diet to keep things balanced for him. In recent times, we have made a conscious decision to actually eat less meat (despite Nathan now eating it more readily) because of the impact on climate change and the "footprint" it leaves on our planet (and we like it!).

Creamy Lentil and Vegetable Soup



1 cup red lentils
1 litre hot water
1 Tbspn oil (I use coconut)
1 large onion
1-2 cloves garlic
1 large carrot
2 stalks celery
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp paprika
2 Tbspn cream
2 Tbspn cornflour
1 cup frozen peas or other frozen vegetables (I used fresh silverbeet chopped finely)
1 cup fresh tomato chopped finely
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, spring onions, chives, basil, thyme, oregano)
1 Tbspn sugar
1 tsp salt

Measure the lentils and hot water into a bowl to soften the lentils. Put the oil into a large pan and add the chopped onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Add the cumin, garam masala, paprika to the vegetables (the measurements above are half what the recipe had as the kids don't like it too spicy). Cook over moderate heat stirring occasionally for 2-3mins without letting the vegetables brown. Add the hot water and the lentils, cover and simmer for about 20mins or until everything is tender. Puree all or part, or none of the mixture and bring back to the boil (I stuck the stick-whizz into the pan and did it that way). Mix the cream (coconut cream would work too) and cornflour to a paste with a little extra water and pour into the soup. Add the peas (or alternative veges) and the tomato that has been chopped into pieces the same size as the peas. Add the sugar, then salt to taste. Add the fresh herbs. Done!

Nathan ate it with his corn thins dipped in to it. Danielle wasn't keen, but when Dadda arrived home later for his dinner she quite happily ate some then.