Winter warmer recipes to nourish your body and your taste buds!

Three of our favourite winter warmer recipes to provide delicious plant-based nourishment from the inside out.

As the clocks have turned back and the days grow shorter, bringing a noticeable chill to the air, it's the ideal time to nourish your body with the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals essential for boosting your natural immunity.

Carrot and Ginger Soup

Quick, easy and mouth-wateringly delicious, this carrot and ginger soup is perfect for chilly afternoons. Carrots have a delicious sweetness and are a rich source of Beta-Carotene, antioxidants and fibre, whilst ginger is a powerhouse of nutrients for your immune system.

A delicious winter warmer that can also be frozen for around 3 months, so perfect for batch cooking, just adjust the quantities accordingly. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in a saucepan or microwave.

Time to prepare: less than 30 mins
Time to cook: around 30 mins
This recipe makes: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• 1 garlic clove
• 40g fresh root ginger (peeled and finely chopped)
• 400g carrots (peeled and chopped)
• 600ml vegetable stock
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Optional handful of crunchy croutons and a sprig of basil to garnish

Method:

1. Heat the oil in saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and carrots and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the stock and season with pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the carrots are soft. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.
3. Pour the soup into a food processor and blend until smooth. (Remember to let out the steam to avoid a soup explosion! Or blend with a hand-blender) Return to the pan and reheat gently.
4. To serve, pour the soup into a warm serving bowl. Garnish with the crunchy croutons to serve if desired (optional).

Nutrition:

Each serving provides 160 kcal, 2g protein, 23g carbohydrate (of which 19g sugars), 4.5g fat (of which 1g saturates), 10g fibre and 0.9g salt.

Spicy Black Bean Soup

A delicious winter warmer with a spicy twist. Packed full of fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to nourish your body as well as your tastebuds! We prefer to blend half and leave half nice and chunky to make a really hearty dish, but you can enjoy it however you prefer.

Time to prepare: less than 30 mins
Time to cook: around 35 mins
This recipe makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small red onion (chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• ½ jalapeno (finely chopped, to taste, optional)
• 2 medium carrots (chopped)
• 1 red pepper (chopped)
• 4 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 small tin (approx. 200g) sweetcorn (drained)
• 2 400g tins of black beans (drained and rinsed) Kidney beans would also work well.
• 1 ltr vegetable stock
• ½ lime (juiced)
• Small handful coriander
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional toppings e.g chopped avocado, crushed crisp tortillas, fresh jalapenos.

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onions and garlic, with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent.
2. Stir in the jalapeño, carrot, red pepper, cumin and chili powder. Cook until vegetable are soft, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Pour in the beans, corn and stock. Bring to a slow boil over medium-high heat then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook until the beans are soft, about 20 minutes or so. Turn off the heat.
4. Pour half of the soup into a separate bowl or saucepan and blend with a hand blender. Blend more for a smoother texture or less for a chunkier texture, depending on your own preference. Pour the blended soup back into the original pot and stir through.
5. Stir in lime juice and coriander and taste for seasoning. Add salt / pepper if needed.
6. Serve with your favourite toppings! We love a sprinkling of crunchy tortillas and chopped avocado.

Nutrition:

Each serving provides 278 kcal, 16g protein, 53g carbohydrates (of which 5g sugars), 2.2g fat (of which 0.2g saturates), 18g fibre and 1.2g salt.

Sweet Potato Soup

Sweet potato soup is a big bowl of comfort. It's vegan, has very cheap ingredients and is an awesome source of fibre, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin K & Potassium. It’s quick and easy to make and can also be frozen for future lunches and dinners. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in a saucepan or microwave.

Time to prepare: less than 30 mins
Time to cook: around 30 mins
This recipe makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion (roughly chopped)
• 2 large carrots (peeled and roughly chopped)
• 40g fresh root ginger (peeled and finely chopped)
• 1 garlic clove (crushed)
• ½ tsp dried red chilli flakes
• 700g sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed)
• 2 ltrs vegetable stock
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper
• Optional extras, parsley and natural non-dairy yoghurt alternative to garnish

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large, lidded saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook until softened. Stir in the ginger, garlic and chilli flakes and fry for 2–3 minutes, or until fragrant.
2. Stir in the sweet potatoes and stock. Turn up the heat and bring the pan to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer with the lid on for 15 -20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Blend the soup, using a hand blender, until smooth. Alternatively, pour it into a food processor and blend (be sure to allow any steam to escape to avoid a soup explosion!) Season to taste and serve. Swirl with a teaspoon of non-dairy yoghurt alternative and parsley if you wish.

Nutrition:
Each serving provides 234 kcal, 3g protein, 43g carbohydrates (of which 16g sugars), 4g fat (of which 0.5g saturates), 9g fibre and 0.5g salt.

Enjoy!