One of my first favourite restaurants in London was the iconic vegetarian restaurant called Food for Thought. Sadly, it is no longer there, but luckily after having eaten many of their mouth-watering dishes, I decided to buy their cookbook. Here is one of my favourite recipes, their wholesome red pepper and almond soup.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- Coconut Oil
- 675g red peppers, cored, de-seeded and cut in half
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 4 celery sticks, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- X2 400g tins of tomatoes
- 100g ground almonds
- 600ml veg stock
- Salt, pepper, tamari
- 25 g fresh basil
- 25g roasted, flaked almonds
Method
- Roast the peppers under a hot grill until they are lightly charred. Peel off the skin and discard.
- Gently fry the onion, celery, garlic and paprika with the coconut oil for 5-10 minutes until soft
- Add the tomatoes, ground almonds and roasted peppers. Continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the stock and, using a blender, process the soup until smooth.
- Season with salt, pepper, a splash of tamari and finely chopped fresh basil.
- Garnish with roasted almonds and fresh basil.
TIP: The key to creating a great soup lies in the quality of your stock. For a homemade version, use a mix of vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, peppers, leeks or celery, with a bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring these to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes before straining. If time is limited, stock cubes can be used, however be selective to ensure your choice does not include vast amounts of salt.
To discuss other meal plan ideas, email me on nutrition@sarahchesler.com or give me a call on 07860472261.
