I've been uninspired lately. Winter comes along and it becomes difficult to be inspired. Difficult to find the motivation to cook healthily, to look after myself and to be the active person my summer self is. As you can tell, me and winter are not the best of friends. There's no doubt about it, winter does bring with it some gems - particularly in the Northern hemisphere. England is in some ways made for winter with its cosy pubs and comforting food traditions. Pies, sausages and a multitude of culinary delights that are bad for you come into their own in the winter. All so good, but I've found it hard to be inspired to cook anything particularly interesting.
But the other day a friend from back home wrote on their Facebook page that they had made a salad inspired by one I had posted on this blog in the summer. That inspired me. It's pretty epic that people actually read this and that so many friends have gone out of their way to tell me how much they enjoy it. Thank you. And thank you for inspiring me.
Soups are the epitamy of winter food. And there are an infinite number of soup recipes out there. Some of them are super interesting. All energised, I decided to make a healthy yet hearty soup. I'd seen a recipe for a ginger broccoli and white bean soup a while back on Hemsley and Hemsley. They are two London based sisters who provide basically high class ready made meals to the rich and famous and write for Vogue. I love their stuff.
I had some leftover cavolo nero so I made some kale chips to pop on top of the soup, finished off with toasted cashew nuts. It was warming but fresh. The boys didn't even realise I was detoxing them!
Broccoli, ginger and white bean soup with spicy cavolo nero chips
For the soup
1 large head of broccoli (or 2 small heads)
2 large onions, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
3-4 inches of peeled ginger chopped
juice of 2 limes
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1200ml of chicken stock
2 cans of white beans - I used cannellini
4 handfuls of coriander, roughly chopped or torn
large handful of cashews, chopped
For the chips
small bunch of cavolo nero or kale
1 tsp chilli power
olive oil
Heat oven to 180 degrees.
Toast the chopped cashew nuts in a dry pan and set aside.
Chop the stalks of the broccoli and set aside then roughly chop the heads.
In a big pot heat a tablespoon of cooking oil. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper and gently saute for 5 mins.
Add the broccoli stalks and about 3/4 of the stock. Simmer for 8 minutes.
While this is cooking make your chips. Chop the cavolo nero into thick strips and lay out on a baking tray. Drizzle over olive oil and cover the cavolo nero with the oil using your fingers. Sprinkle over the dried chilli and put it in the oven to bake for about 5-8 minutes or until just crispy.
Add the broccoli heads to the soup, the beans and the coriander. Cook for 5 minutes. Cool slightly before blending. Add more water during the blending process to get the right consistency.
Add lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
Pour soup in bowls and arrange the kale chips on top. Sprinkle over toasted cashews and serve.
Serves 6 - enough for a family or for leftover lunches!
But the other day a friend from back home wrote on their Facebook page that they had made a salad inspired by one I had posted on this blog in the summer. That inspired me. It's pretty epic that people actually read this and that so many friends have gone out of their way to tell me how much they enjoy it. Thank you. And thank you for inspiring me.
Soups are the epitamy of winter food. And there are an infinite number of soup recipes out there. Some of them are super interesting. All energised, I decided to make a healthy yet hearty soup. I'd seen a recipe for a ginger broccoli and white bean soup a while back on Hemsley and Hemsley. They are two London based sisters who provide basically high class ready made meals to the rich and famous and write for Vogue. I love their stuff.
I had some leftover cavolo nero so I made some kale chips to pop on top of the soup, finished off with toasted cashew nuts. It was warming but fresh. The boys didn't even realise I was detoxing them!
Broccoli, ginger and white bean soup with spicy cavolo nero chips
For the soup
1 large head of broccoli (or 2 small heads)
2 large onions, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
3-4 inches of peeled ginger chopped
juice of 2 limes
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1200ml of chicken stock
2 cans of white beans - I used cannellini
4 handfuls of coriander, roughly chopped or torn
large handful of cashews, chopped
For the chips
small bunch of cavolo nero or kale
1 tsp chilli power
olive oil
Heat oven to 180 degrees.
Toast the chopped cashew nuts in a dry pan and set aside.
Chop the stalks of the broccoli and set aside then roughly chop the heads.
In a big pot heat a tablespoon of cooking oil. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper and gently saute for 5 mins.
Add the broccoli stalks and about 3/4 of the stock. Simmer for 8 minutes.
While this is cooking make your chips. Chop the cavolo nero into thick strips and lay out on a baking tray. Drizzle over olive oil and cover the cavolo nero with the oil using your fingers. Sprinkle over the dried chilli and put it in the oven to bake for about 5-8 minutes or until just crispy.
Add the broccoli heads to the soup, the beans and the coriander. Cook for 5 minutes. Cool slightly before blending. Add more water during the blending process to get the right consistency.
Add lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
Pour soup in bowls and arrange the kale chips on top. Sprinkle over toasted cashews and serve.
Serves 6 - enough for a family or for leftover lunches!
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