Cross posting from my Friday log. Wouldn't say it's completely effortless, but using (bargain) ready prepared veggies from the co-op cuts down on
most of the prep work (I'm just a bit OCD and like things small bite size). We had huge servings - I reckon this should do at least five quite hungry people as a main meal if served with bread and a wee sprinkle of cheese.
Ed. Sorry, key to the numbers:
the first line gives the ingredient and its macronutrient balance (usually grams but the last bit shows per whatever), in this case per 100g we have 90 calories, 17.8g of carb, 0.8g of fat, 1.8g of protein and 2.0g of fibre
ginger, fine chopped, 90c/C17.8/F0.8/P1.8/Fi2.0/100g
the next line is the amount used followed by macronutrients in that amount used
......... 15g 13.50 2.67 0.12 0.27 0.30
so, in this case we used 15g of ginger, which has 13.5 calories, 2.67g of carb, 0.12g of fat, 0.27g of protein, and 0.3g of fibre.
I wasn't going to post the soup recipe as it's hardly haute cuisine - it was good mind, and on a feed day would have been irresistible with coconut milk - but I think it an excellent example of how not to make a low-carb veggie soup for 5:2. In brief, carrots are *not* your friends on a low-carb repair day (nor peas, swede, tatties, leeks and onions for that matter). Admittedly, I still have my reservations about the carb figures for dried lentils, but them's what I've been working with so will stick with for now.
Christmas eve's veggie bargains soup
carrot, swede, leek, potato & onion mix, co-op, 40c/C7.5/F0.3/P1.2/Fi2.1/100g
......... 1200g 480.00 90.00 3.60 14.40 25.20
carrots, butternut squash, peas & beans, co-op, 50c/C7.6/F0.5/P2.0/Fi3.2/100g
......... 250g 125.00 19.00 1.25 5.00 8.00
sprout, broccoli & carrot mix, co-op, 40c/C5.5/F0.7/P1.8/Fi3.0/100g
......... 700g 280.00 38.50 4.90 12.60 21.00
lentils, brown, 332c/C44.9/F1.0/P28.4/Fi14.2/100g
......... 100g dry weight 332.00 44.90 1.00 28.40 14.20
garlic, fine chopped, 149c/C33.06/F0.5/P6.36/Fi2.1/100g
......... 8g 11.92 2.64 0.04 0.50 0.17
ginger, fine chopped, 90c/C17.8/F0.8/P1.8/Fi2.0/100g
......... 15g 13.50 2.67 0.12 0.27 0.30
olive oil, 824c/C0.0/F91.6/P0.0/Fi0.0/100ml
......... 15ml 123.60 0.00 13.74 0.00 0.00
soy sauce, low salt, amoy, 52c/C9.2/F0/P3.9/Fi0/100ml
......... 10ml 5.20 0.92 0.00 0.39 0.00
chilli flakes
......... two good pinches 0.00
asafoetida
......... 2ml 0.00
fennel seed, whole
......... 2ml 0.00
cumin seed, whole
......... 10ml 0.00
turmeric, dried ground
......... 10ml 0.00
coriander seed, fresh ground
......... 10ml 0.00
paprika, dried ground
......... 2ml 0.00
s&p 0.00
water, boiling
......... to near cover 0.00
total for Christmas eve's veggie bargains soup 1371.22 198.63 24.65 61.56 68.87
FatDog's 4/17 portion of Christmas eve's veggie bargains soup 322.64 46.74 5.80 14.49 16.20
Method: 1. chop the veggies into delicate bite size chunks as needed (e.g. halve the sprouts), set the broccoli to one side (peas too, if you've the energy); 2. split out the leeks and onions - heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot and then gently fry these until softening; 3. add the garlic (why do I *always* try to spell that with a 'k'?), ginger and, a few moments later, the spices and stir-about until nicely fragrant; 4. now bung in the rest of the veggies and hot water to cover (you could use stock, but why with this quantity of veggies?); 5. bring to the boil and simmer covered for an age, until all the root veggies are softened and the lentils are done (I left it on at low peep for well over an hour, with an odd stir to make sure it wasn't sticking); 6. take just under half the soup and blitz it, then add it back in - this is the time to add the broccoli, and peas, and bring back to heat: salt, as desired, but you will need salt.
I meant to add tamarind but forgot... Personally I'd double all the spices and the garlic, and add cardamom, but the OH would have had apoplexy, and thems were his veggies... A tiny quantity of finely chopped dried fruit (e.g. apricot or date) and cashew nuts would have made this very rich and delicious indeed, but commensurately more unsuitable for repair days.