Thursday 20 September 2012

Bad bad bad bad bad bad blogger...

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to update to say that I've not completely fallen off the planet that I do intend to pick up my blog posts properly again, as soon as I have the time to, and the inspiration for new things to write about!

Things are pretty busy around here, setting up my new juice and smoothie bar. We have just about secured premises and some commercial equipment. It's taking up a lot of mental space and energy and there isn't much point in me posting a half-hearted blog.

When I get back to 'business as usual' (blog-wise) I will hopefully be able to regularly update you on my shop's transformation and some exciting recipes and nutrition info, as well as fitting fitness into a busy schedule, which I fully intend to do!

I will also be blogging as you'd expect me to at the end of the month for a Foodie Penpals reveal!

Hope you are keeping fit and well!

Hannah xx

Tuesday 4 September 2012

Recipe: Split Pea and Chorizo Soup

If you hadn't realised by now, one of the highlights in my food life is getting quality stuff from the farmers market. Last Friday was no different, and though I was pushed for time I came away with purple kale, a lentil-walnut ragu stuffed polenta, and a smokey spicy sausage of meat-free chorizo. The polenta and chorizo came from The Veggie Deli who I have mentioned on here before, and though I have had both of these products before, the chorizo I never quite managed to do justice. Here is what they say about it:

veggie chorizo, vegetarian and vegan, from the veggie deli
Not my picture - retrieved from http://www.theveggiedeli.com/veggie-chorizo.html
 "It's made from a mix of beans including aduki, red kidney and chickpeas, smoked paprika and our special blend of ten spices, with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, tamari, red wine vinegar, vegetable stock and wheat gluten." 

So, I bought some but still didn't have a clue how I would do it justice. Coincidentally, I also had a bag of dried green split peas (they were reduced!) but I didn't have a clue how to do those justice either. Then it clicked. Perhaps I had two loose ends on my hands that could be tied up deliciously together. Googling "green split pea chorizo recipe" threw up a load of soup recipes, and I used this one as my inspiration for the following recipe. The result was a super smokey, slightly spicy, healthful filling meal and if you can get your hands on some veggie chorizo (or meaty chorizo if that's your thing) then you might find this recipe is worth a go!

In other food news, I have been taking some of my favourite food blogs' recent recipes and trying them out:

This gluten free cauliflower pizza crust, inspired by Gluten Free Happy Tummy was made possible by discovering that James' mum has a food processor, meaning that I could blitz cauliflower to crumbs and form into a crust. Topped with peppers, onions, sugar snap peas and a homemade roasted tomato sauce, it hit the spot and I'll be making it again once my appetite for cauliflower returns (I had a few days of cauliflower overkill!)










I used the same homemade roasted tomato sauce when I made these sweet potato gnocci inspired by Running to the Kitchen


I will share the roasted tomato sauce in another post.




So, here is the split-pea and chorizo recipe. I hope you enjoy it if you try it!




Green Split Pea and Veggie Chorizo Soup (3 medium portions, or 2 big 'uns)

100g/1 'sausage' of veggie chorizo - Cubed
1 Tsp coconut oil - you may find you can omit this if your chorizo releases a lot of oil
1/2 large onion - finely chopped
2 Cloves garlic - minced
225g Dried green split peas
1 Mushroom stock cube - diluted in 1 litre boiling water (use vegetable stock if you can't find mushroom)
1 Bay leaf
1/2 Tsp Herbs de Provence
2 Carrots - Peeled, sliced in half length ways and chopped into thin diagonal slices

  • Tip the chorizo cubes into a pan and bring to a medium heat so the flavours and oil begin to release. Mine was quite dry so I added the coconut oil.
  • After five minutes add the onion and garlic and stir frequently for several minutes until the onion is softened.
  • Add in the split peas, stock, bay leaf and dried herbs and allow to simmer, covered for 1 hour 15 minutes. Stir a couple of times within this period.
  • Then, add in the carrots and allow to cook for a further 35 minutes.
  • Now, the split peas should be softened and the soup ready to eat - make sure you remove the bay leaf and season with pepper for an added kick!

 I'll have a few more food and fitness updates very soon!

Hannah xx

P.S. I'm sharing this recipe at Wellness Weekend and Healthy Vegan Fridays (hosted by Shelby at Everyday Vegan Girl , Gabby at The Veggie Nook and Carrie at Carrie On Vegan). - two awesome healthy cooking blogging events that I definitely recommend checking out for inspiration!