I just love soup, especially on a cold wintery night!

• Olive oil
• ½ red onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 200g brown mushrooms, sliced
• Sour cream and chives to serve

1 Heat a little oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and thyme, cook, stirring occasionally until soft. Add chicken stock and mushrooms; bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes.

2 Remove thyme sprigs; use a stick blender of food processor to process the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and serve topped with sour cream and chives.

This is a fantastic soup, with just the right amount of spice.

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 2 medium onions, diced
  
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
  
• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
  
• 1 Qt. chicken stock
  
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• canola oil
  
• 8 corn tortillas, cut into 1/8” strips
  
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
  
• 2 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced
  
• 1 cup Jack cheese, shredded
  
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
  
• 1 lime, cut in wedges
  

Place a large pot over medium heat, and coat with 2 Tbsp. of olive oil.  Add the garlic, jalapenos, onions, and tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.  Pour in the chicken stock, and season with salt and pepper, and let simmer for 20 minutes.

In a skillet over medium-high flame, heat 1” of canola oil, and when it begins to smoke add the tortilla strips in batches until they are crisp on both sides.  Remove to a paper-towel lined platter and sprinkle with salt while still hot.

Ladle the soup into bowls and add a pile of shredded chicken to the top.  Add the diced avocado and fried tortilla strips and cheese.  Garnish with cilantro and lime.

ENJOY!

• 10 ripe tomatoes
• diced basil or oregano
• balsamic vinegar
• olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 cup brown lentils
• salt and pepper

Halve tomatoes and oregano on a baking tray and sprinkle with glugs of olive oil and then balsamic vinegar.

Sprinkle with diced basil and salt and pepper and roast at 180 degrees of at least 1 hour.

Saute onions until golden, add washed lentils and roasted tomatoes.

Cover with water and bring to the boil.

If needed, add 1 cup of water with 1 stock cube dissolved and simmer for at least 1 1/2 – 2 hrs.

Even yummier the next day!

• 1 large onion diced
• 1 bay leaf, crumbled
• 3 tablespoons margarine (or butter, or oil)
• 250g  mushrooms sliced
• 2 tablespoons flour (optional)
• 8 cups water
• 2/3 cup of pearl barley (cleaned and rinsed in colander)
• 1 stalk celery diced
• 1 carrot diced
• salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion and bay leaf till tender. Add mushrooms and saute until onions are golden.

Push vegetables aside and stir in flour until smooth.

Gradually stir in water. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil.

Simmer of 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Enjoy!