Stay Healthy This Winter With Delicious Treats (part 1) - Veg & lentil soup, Whole-wheat soda bread

Keep your body healthy this winter with these delicious recipes

Veg & lentil soup

Not only is this soup packed with nutrients from all the vegetables, it also freezes well, put some away for those first weeks with your new baby when you won’t have time to cook

Veg & lentil soup

·         1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

·         3 carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes

·         3 sticks of celery, finely sliced

·         3 potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

·         6 baby marrows, wiped clean and cut into cubes

·         125g green beans, topped and tailed then sliced

·         1 cup red lentils

·         ¼ cup olive oil

·         6 cups stock of your choice (chicken, vegetable or beef) or water and 4 stock cubes

·         2 tins (800g) whole peeled tomatoes

·         Salt & black pepper to taste

·         Pesto to serve

Heat oil in large, heavy-based saucepan.

Fry onions until golden brown. Add the red pepper, carrots, celery, potatoes, baby marrows and green beans in batches and fry each vegetable for a few minutes before adding the next.

Add the red lentils and stir through then add the stock and tinned tomatoes, put a lid on, lower heat and simmer for about two hours.

Season to taste and serve with a little pesto or grated Parmesan cheese.

Whole-wheat soda bread

This bread is ideal for pregnant and lactating women because it does not contain yeast, which can aggravate a Candida infection 2 onions, peeled and chopped

Whole-wheat soda bread

·         2 cups whole-wheat flour

·         2 cups cake flour, plus a little more for dusting

·         1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         500ml buttermilk

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper and sprinkle with flour.

Use a balloon whisk to mix the whole-wheat flour, cake flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle, pour in the buttermilk and mix until the dough comes together. The dough should be soft, but not wet and sticky.

Turn out onto a floured surface and pat and roll the dough with floury hands, just enough to tidy it up and give it a round shape. Flip over and flatten slightly too about 4cm in height. Transfer the loaf to the prepared baking sheet. Mark a deep cross using a bread knife.

Bake the bread for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C and continue to bake for another 30-35 minutes until it’s browned and sounds hollow when you tap it. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool for about 30 minutes.