ROASTED TOMATO SOUP AND STUFFED SWEET POTATO

Today's recipes came about because I wanted to make lunch using up ingredients I had in the house.....mostly sweet potatoes and tomatoes. Add in some quinoa, Houmous, broccoli & last bit of red wine in the bottle..............and something magic happened!
This recipe is loaded with healthy nutrients & best of all it tastes great.

I love this recipe because most bought Tomato soups are loaded with added sugar...... the sundried tomato paste & sweet potato adds a naturally sweeter note to the soup, so you don't need added sugar. NB this is the recipe I use for lentil Bolognese, Paella, Moussaka & any other recipes that call for tomato pasta sauce. It's quite a thick soup but easy to add more stock or cream/vegan cream for a more liquid consistency.

for the roasted tomato soup (makes enough for 2 people)
100 g sweet potato
200 g baby plum or cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon sundried tomato paste
1 tablespoon red wine (optional)
Some sprigs of fresh thyme
150 ml stock.  
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 180 c

1. Peel & chop the sweet potato. Put the tomatoes & the sweet potato in an oven proof dish. Drizzle lightly with about a tablespoon of light olive oil and make sure everything is evenly coated in the oil, before adding a few sprigs of thyme and putting in the oven for about 35 mins until sweet potatoes are cooked.

2. Place the stock, sundried tomato paste & wine in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat & leave to cool.

3. When the veg are cooked, remove from the oven. Remove the stalks of thyme and take the little leaves off them because you want them to go in the soup, but you want to discard the woody stems.

4. Add the veg to a blender. Add the stock mixture & blitz till smooth. If you want a thinner consistency add some more stock.

4 Season to taste & serve!

for the sweet potato  (serves 2)

2 medium sweet potatoes
Some florets of broccoli
tub of mustard cress
few baby plum tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup quinoa.  1/2 cup water.
Houmuss to serve.

1 Bake the sweet potatoes at 180 c for about 30 mins (this will depend on the size and type of sweet potato you choose.)
2 Meanwhile steam or boil the broccoli florets with a little water until cooked. I place a colander over a saucepan of boiling water. Place the broccoli on top and cover with a lid. It takes about 5 mins to cook.
3 To cook the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa under a cold tap for 30 seconds. Place the quinoa in a saucepan with the water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. It should take around 15 mins to cook. Once cooked, remove from the heat, Place a lid on the pan & leave for 5 mins. Fluff up with a fork.
4 Once the potatoes are done, split them open and pile in the quinoa, tomatoes, broccoli, Houmuss & cress. Simple food is honestly the best!