Spicy Tomato & Lentil Soup

Healthy & super easy to make!

Ingredients:

1.5l water
200g red lentils (check if they need to be soaked)
1 can peeled & chopped tomatoes
1 garlic clove (whole)
2 tsp salt
1 pinch of turmeric
1 allspice berry
1 dash of pepper
1 bay leaf
1 dash (or more!) of chilli powder
2 tsp soy sauce

Add the lentils to boiling water (if they need to be soaked first, do it earlier). Add the tomatoes and all the spices in any order. Cook at medium heat for as long as the lentils need to be cooked (check the package). 

  

Blue Cheese & Mushroom Pasta Bake

Vegetarian meals don't have to be super healthy or low in calories (thank god!)

This is one of these meals. I was surprised with the outcome as it tasted better than it looked and had a really rich flavour. Just make sure you use veggie cheeses if you're vegetarian, so no Gorgonzola.

Ingredients:

100g crumbled blue cheese
100g grated mature cheddar cheese
300g pasta
100g cream
1 can chopped tomatoes
200g chanterelle (or other) mushrooms
half an onion
2 garlic cloves
dried basil
salt & pepper
1 handful sliced black olives

1. Boil a pan of water for pasta. Heat oven to 180C. Chop the vegetables.

2. Fry the onions and mushrooms for a few minutes (with a bit of salt and pepper) and add garlic a couple of minutes before they're done.

3. When the pasta is ready, place it in a large oven dish and mix it with the canned tomatoes, cream and fried vegetables. Add a generous amount of basil and pepper and a bit of salt, then stir.

4. Sprinkle the cheese mixture on top, then stir gently so that some of it gets inside the dish.

5. Bake for about 25 min at 180 degrees. Scatter some sliced olives on top.