Serves 4–6

This is a very economical dish and is delicious garnished with a dollop of yoghurt. Serve with corn and wheat tortillas that you can now buy in the supermarkets. They are super soft and flexible

straight out of the packet and have a long shelf life. To keep it dairy free, add a dollop of hummus instead of the yoghurt.

  • Prep 20 MINS
  • Cook 55 MINS
  • LOADS OF VEG
  • FREEZER FRIENDLY
  • 1 × 290g (10¼oz) jar of roasted
  • peppers in olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp spicy pepper and herb
  • seasoning (from the Dunnes Stores
  • Simply Better range)
  • 1 heaped tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tbsp harissa chilli paste
  • 1 × 400g (14oz) tin of Italian chopped
  • tomatoes
  • 350ml (12fl oz) vegetable stock (from
  • a cube is fine)
  • 225g (8oz) red lentils, well rinsed
  • 1 × 400g (14oz) tin of black beans,
  • drained and rinsed
  • sea salt and freshly ground black
  • pepper
  • TO GARNISH
  • lime wedges
  • 4–6 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
  • shredded Little Gem lettuce

TO SERVE

corn and wheat tortillas

Drain the oil from the peppers and reserve, then finely chop the peppers. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large deep pan over a medium heat, then add all the vegetables, including the peppers, and

sauté for 8–10 minutes, until softened and lightly golden. Sprinkle over the spicy pepper and herb seasoning and stir to combine, then stir in the tomato purée and harissa and cook for another minute. Stir the in the tomatoes and stock, then add the lentils. Give everything a good stir and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 30 minutes, until the lentils and vegetables are completely tender.

Stir in the black beans, season with salt and pepper and simmer gently, uncovered, for another 5 minutes. To serve, ladle the chilli onto plates and garnish with lime wedges, dollops of yoghurt and a mound of shredded lettuce. Serve the tortillas on the side.

Sweet Potato Soup with Chickpeas and Coconut

Serves 4–6

Despite their name, sweet potatoes are a root vegetable that, unlike regular potatoes, count as one of your seven a day. I love them in soup for the lovely soft velvety texture they give, but I tend to use them a lot as they are a great source of fibre and vitamins B and C. They are also high in an antioxidant known as beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A once eaten.

Prep 20 MINS

Cook 1 HR

LOADS OF VEG

FREEZER FRIENDLY

  • 450g (1lb) sweet potatoes, peeled
  • and cut into cubes
  • 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 leek, finely chopped
  • 1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed and
  • halved
  • ½ fresh red chilli, deseeded and
  • finely chopped
  • 1 tsp freshly grated root ginger
  • 1.2 litres (2 pints) chicken or
  • vegetable stock (from a cube is fine)
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 250ml (9fl oz) coconut milk
  • 1 × 400g (14oz) tin of chickpeas,
  • drained and rinsed
  • sea salt and freshly ground black
  • pepper
  • TO GARNISH
  • toasted coconut flakes
  • fresh basil leaves
  • TO SERVE
  • sourdough baguette (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6). Place the sweet potatoes in a baking tin, drizzle over 1 tablespoon of the oil and roast in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, until tender. Set aside.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add the onion, leek, lemongrass, chilli and ginger and sweat for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the roasted sweet potatoes with the stock and tomato purée, then bring to the boil, stirring.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the liquid has slightly reduced and all the vegetables are completely tender. Pour the coconut milk into the pan, add the chickpeas and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Season to taste and remove the pieces of lemongrass. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, then scatter over the toasted coconut flakes and basil leaves as a garnish. Serve immediately with sourdough baguette if liked.