Spiced Stir-Fry Soup

This soup is one of my new favourite dishes when I want something quick and easy to throw together that is warm and comfy and healthy too. The combination of the fresh vegetables with a coconut-y, spiced broth makes this incredibly more-ish. This recipe takes around 20 minutes including prep time and serves 4 hungry people. It would work equally well with whatever veg is in the fridge needing used up.

Ingredients:
1 handful asparagus
1 handful mangetout
1 handful sugar-snap peas
1 medium carrot
1 handful tender-stem broccoli
1 handful baby corn
1 can water chestnuts
1 can bamboo shoots
1 can beansprouts
1 can coconut milk
1 tube lemongrass
1 tube garlic
1 tube ginger
1 handful button mushrooms
1 handful oriental mushrooms
2 rice noodle nests
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce

Method:
Top and tail all of the vegetables and chop into bite sized pieces. Place a wok over a high heat and pop around 2 tbsp of olive oil in. Once the oil is hot, add the carrots and mushrooms and fry until starting to soften. Mix in the rest of the vegetables, water chestnuts, beansprouts and bamboo shoots then stir in the lemongrass, ginger and garlic and fry gently until everything is combined and starting to soften.

Add in the coconut milk and then refill the can with hot water and add this too. Place in the noodles and season with the sesame oil and soy sauce. Simmer until the noodles are cooked through, usually a couple of minutes. Add more soy sauce and sesame oil to taste then serve while hot.

Super simple, this recipe is sure to put a smile on anyones face.

When you make this, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

Enjoy!

Asian Inspired Spiced Courgette Soup

Ideal for the current weather where its either bucketing with rain but weirdly warm or sunny but freezing; this soup is light, flavoursome and warming. The combination of spices gives an aromatic flavour while the freshness of the courgette helps to lift the dish. Incredibly easy, this soup takes less than an hour to make and tastes fantastic.

Ingredients:
4 medium courgettes
2 onions
1 bag fresh spinach
1 bag small potatoes - roughly equivalent to the courgette
3 tbsp grated ginger
3 tbsp grated garlic
3 tbsp lemon grass
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method: 
In a large pan, gently saute diced onions over a medium heat. Roughly chop the vegetables (this soup is blended so no need to worry about making it pretty!) and add the potatoes to the pan to fry for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and lemon grass and enough hot water to cover the potatoes. Boil until the potatoes are almost tender then add the courgettes and spinach.

Once everything is soft, take off the heat and blend; either using a stick blender or a food processor; until everything is smooth. Add the sesame oil and salt and pepper to taste before serving with a slice or five home made bread.

When you make this, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife