Squash/carrot soup

This is a Gordon Ramsey recipe which I altered slightly. Was looking for something to use up the carrot and squash from the farmer's market - it was delicious!

The original recipe called for one red chili. I left that out because I thought the 2-year-old wouldn't go for it. Instead the adults added sriracha at the table.

Also, when eating the leftovers, I added one thigh of chicken, shredded, because I wanted something more meaty at that meal.

1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 large carrots, peeled
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and deseeded
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
(optional: 1 fresh chili, seeded and chopped, or 1/4 tsp dried crushed chillies)
750ml chicken or vegetable stock
75g dried spaghetti or small pasta shells
250 ml milk
Freshly grated Parmesan, to serve

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil over a medium heat for 5-7 minutes until soft. Chop the carrots and butternut squash into small cubes and add to the pan. Season and cook for another 6-7 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.

Stir in the thyme (and the fresh or dried chilli if you're using it), then pour in the stock. Stir and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes until the carrots and squash are soft and beginning to break down.

Break the spaghetti into small pieces into the soup or add the pasta shells. Stir well and return to the boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked and the soup has thickened slightly. Add the milk. Return to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Blueberry oatmeal muffins

I made these for a friend who just had a baby - wanted something with oatmeal (supposed to be good for breastfeeding) and substantial but also tasty. These were great!

1 cup oatmeal/porridge oats
1 cup buttermilk or yogurt
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup melted butter or vegetable oil
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Combine oatmeal and buttermilk/yogurt in small bowl. Let stand.

Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt in another small bowl.

Reserve one tablespoon of flour mixture and, in yet another small bowl, add to blueberries. Stir lightly to cover blueberries in flour (this helps to prevent the blueberries bleeding into the batter.)

In medium bowl, beat egg. Mix in butter/oil, then sugar and mix well. Add oat mixture and mix. Then add dry ingredients. Stir until all ingredients are just moistened. Gently fold in blueberries.

Grease muffin tins and add batter, until about 3/4 full. Bake at 400F/200C/180C fan for about 20-25 minutes. Makes about 9 large muffins.

Carrot parsnip soup

I found this recipe online to use up the carrots and parsnips from the farmers' market. Thought the husband would think it too sweet and want to add chili sauce while the daughter would love it. Turned out the husband loved it (without chili sauce) and the daughter was not too keen. Ah well.

The original recipe called for 1 Tbsp (instead of 1 tsp) curry powder but I cut down to accommodate the toddler - fat lot of good that did me.

In any case, it was easy and tasty (I recommend serving with sriracha) and used up the root veg perfectly.

2 Tbsp oil, chopped in chunks
1 onion
450g parsnips, peeled and chopped in chunks
225 g carrots, peeled and chopped in chunks
350 ml vegetable stock
300 ml milk
salt & pepper

Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the vegetables. Stir and cook for a few mins until they start to soften. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring, for a min. Stir in the stock & milk. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15-20 mins until vegetables are soft. Allow to cool a little, then puree in a food processor/blender until smooth. Return to soup pot. If it's too thick add more stock and/or milk. Season with salt and pepper. Reheat but do not boil - and serve.