SPICY WINTER CREAM SOUP

ingredients

1 sweet potato
1 stalk broccoli
5 carrots
1/4 cup mung beans
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp fresh gingerroot, minced
1 tbsp curry
1 red chilli
1 bay leaf
pepper, paprika
1 tbsp thyme
fresh parsley
olive oil
water

directions

cover the beans with cold water and soak for a few hours.
cut the potato (with the peel), carrots and broccoli. in a large pot transfer the beans, add vegetables, garlic, ginger, spices and herbs, cover with water and cook for ca. 30 min (until the vegetables are soft).
remove the soup from the heat and blend until smooth using a hand blender.
add some olive oil and garnish with parsley.

CARROT AND  RED LENTIL SOUP

ingredients

1/2 cup dry red lentils

min 500 g carrots, sliced

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp minced fresh gingerroot

1 tbsp olive oil

salt, pepper, curry

fresh rosemary leaves

water

directions

in a large pot, saute onion and garlic with olive oil; add ginger and carrots and fry stirring often for 10 min. add lentils and cover with water. add spices and herbs to taste and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins or until the lentils and carrots are soft. remove the soup from heat and blend it with a hand blender until smooth. 

LENTIL LOAF/Pâté

ingredients

1 cup dry green lentils
1 onion
3-4 carrots
1 cup wholemeal flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp olive oil
salt, pepper, thyme, paprika
2 tbsp marjoram
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 bay leaves

directions

cover the lentils in cold water and let soak for a few hours.
sauté onion and minced garlic in the olive oil for about 5 min. add sliced carrots, drained lentils and bay leaves and cover with water. bring lentils and carrots to boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 40 min, stirring occasionally (until the liquid is absorbed). once the lentils are cooked, remove from heat and set aside to cool.
remove the bay leaves from the cooked lentils and place into food processor. process until mostly smooth. scoop the lentils into a large bowl and mix with flour, oil and sunflower seeds. add thyme, salt, pepper, paprika to taste.
preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
place the mixture into the oiled loaf pan, sprinkle with sunflower and sesame seeds and bake for 1 h 
(until the seeds start brown).

CARROT CAKE

ingredients

1/2 kg shredded carrots
1/2 kg flour (at least 250 g whole wheat)
0,75 cup of unrefined sugar
2 tbsp soy flour
1/2 cup of canola oil
50g raisins
3 tsp backing powder
1/2 cup of rice milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp shredded coconut
1 tbsp of vegan margarine

directions

preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
mix the flour, backing powder, raisins, spices and salt in a bowl.
separately mix carrots, sugar, oil and rice milk and combine with the dry ingredients.

grease pan with a vegan margarine and dust with flour. spread the mixture in the pan and bake for 1 h or until the fork comes out clean.