Ingredients

• 1 parsnip
• 1 cup cooking/frying oil
• Sweet Paprika

Method

Step 1

Peel the parsnip.

Step 2

Use a veggie peeler to peel long thin strips.

Step 3

Heat oil in a small frypan (to around 185°C) Add parsnip strips to the oil in small handfuls (be careful not to crowd), until golden brown and crisp.

Step 4

Transfer chips to paper towels to drain, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and sweet paprika.

 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 butternut pumpkin, quartered (skin on)
• 1 tbsp organic butter
• 1 leek, finely sliced
• 1 clove garlic, finely sliced
• 1 tsp crushed ginger
• 1/2 cup whole cashew nuts (divide in half)
• 1 apple, peeled, cored, diced
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 cups no added salt vegetable stock (or water)
• 1/4 cup of pouring cream (optional)
• (Parsnip Chips)
• 1 parsnip, peeled
• 1 cup frying oil
• 1 pinch sweet paprika

Method

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place your cut pumpkin pieces in a baking dish, pour over the oil and toss to coat. Roast for around 20 - 30 minutes or until flesh is soft. Scoop flesh out of the skin and set aside.

Step 2

Heat butter in a fry pan over medium-low. Sauté the leek, garlic and ginger for around 6 minutes or until soft and fragrant.

Step 3

Add 1/4 cup of whole cashews, roasted pumpkin and apple, stir to combine. Add the chia seeds and stock. Bring to the boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer for around 15-20 minutes.

Step 4

Remove the mixture from the heat. Place in a food processor and process until smooth. Stir through the cream (optional).

Step 5

Top this soup with toasted cashew crumbs, fresh chives and parsnip crisps (see below). *Remember to choose appropriate textures when serving nuts to your child - avoid whole nuts.

Step 6

(Toasted Cashews) Heat a small frypan over medium. Add the cashews and toss for a few minutes or until golden. Remove from the pan and crush.

Step 7

(Parsnip chips) To make the parsnip chips, peel the parsnips. Use a peeler to peel long thin strips. Heat oil in a small frypan (to around 185°C) Add parsnip strips to the oil in small handfuls (be careful not to crowd), until golden brown and crisp. Transfer chips to paper towels to drain, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and sweet paprika.

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pearl barley
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 1 leek, white part only, diced
• 3 sticks celery, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 1 large potato, peeled and diced
• 1 swede, peeled and diced
• 1 small bunch of basil, stalks finely sliced and leaves shredded and set aside
• 1.5 L homemade or reduced salt chicken stock
• pepper to taste
• grated parmesan to serve

Method

Step 1

Place the pearl barley in a sieve and rinse under cold water, then set aside.

Step 2

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat then add the onion, garlic, leek, celery, carrot, zucchini, potato, swede and basil stalks. Gently saute for around 15 minutes without colouring the vegetables.

Step 3

Add the stock and bring to a light simmer. Stir in the barley, then cover the saucepan and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. When the barely is soft stir in the basil leaves. Cover and allow the soup to rest off the heat for around 15 minutes. Season with pepper and serve with parmesan cheese.