Spring Vegetable Soup With Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Spring Clean Your Taste Buds With These Delicious Meat Free Olive Oil Treats

Spring is the perfect time to shake off the sluggish feeling of winter and revive your palate and larder with plenty of plant-based meals using the best olive oil you can source.

What better joy to reach for in Spring than a light soup packed with flavours and nutrients just like this one from Meat Free Monday.

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Spring Vegetable Soup With Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 large or 2 medium leeks, white parts only, quartered lengthwise, chopped, and well rinsed
  • 2 medium celery stalks, diced
  • 32-ounce carton (about 1 litre) vegetable broth, plus 2 cups (475 ml) water or 6 cups (1½ litres) water with 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
  • 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium red or yellow bell pepper, or half of each
  • 2 teaspoons salt-free seasoning
  • 1½ cups finely chopped tomatoes
  • 1½ cups shelled fresh or frozen green peas
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or a big handful of baby spinach, sliced
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill, optional
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a soup pot. Add the leeks and celery and sauté over medium-low heat until the leeks are limp, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
  2. Add the broth and water, potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, and seasoning. Bring to a slow boil, then lower the heat. Simmer gently over low heat with the cover ajar for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
  3. Stir in the tomatoes, peas, parsley, and optional dill. Cook over very low heat for 6 to 7 minutes longer. Make sure the peas and parsley stay nice and green (or see Note if making ahead of time). If the soup is crowded, add another cup or so of water and heat through.
  4. Season with salt and pepper and serve at once.
  5. Note: If you're making this soup ahead of time, hold off on adding the peas and parsley (or spinach), and optional dill. Once the soup is reheated and ready to be served, add these last ingredients.

Golden Onion And Spring Vegetable Pilaf

Serves 3-4
Golden Onion And Spring Vegetable Pilaf

At Morocco Gold, we love a flavoursome One Pot Treat and Olive Magazine have come up trumps with this Golden Onion And Spring Vegetable Pilaf

Ingredients

  • 2 large onions
  • 50g butter or a drizzle of Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 100g fine green beans halved
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 6 pods cardamom squashed
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 (optional) bay leaf
  • 250g basmati rice
  • 450ml vegetable stock
  • 100g frozen peas defrosted
  • 100g spinach chopped

Instructions

  1. Peel the onions and discard the first tougher outer layer. Halve and slice as thinly as possible.
  2. Heat the butter in a large, deep, lidded frying pan. Add the onion with a good pinch of salt and cook over a medium heat, stirring, until really golden and caramelised. This can take up to 30 minutes, so be patient. It should be soft enough that you are able to squash a piece of onion between your fingers.
  3. Stir in the green beans and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes then stir in the spices and bay leaf, if using, and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Add the rice and stir until coated in all the spices. Stir in the stock, put on a lid and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring in the peas and spinach for the final 3 minutes.

Cumin Spiced Lentil Burger

Serves 8
Cumin Spiced Lentil Burger

For a fun meat-free twist on the much loved burger, these cumin spiced lentil burgers from TasteOfHome.com are a pleasure to taste and bursting with health benefits too.

Ingredients

  • 2-1/4 cups water, divided
  • 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
  • 1 cup bulgur (fine grind)
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 6 tablespoons Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 6 green onions, sliced
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 8 flatbread wraps
  • 8 tablespoons Sriracha mayonnaise
  • Optional toppings: Lettuce leaves, sliced tomato and sliced onions

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups water and lentils to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until lentils are tender, 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in bulgur and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and let stand until bulgur is tender and liquid is absorbed, 15-20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender, 5-7 minutes. Add cumin and chili powder; cook 1 minute longer. Remove from heat. Add onion mixture to lentil mixture. Stir in egg, green onions, parsley and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, mixing lightly but thoroughly. If needed, add remaining 1/4 cup water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, to help mixture stay together when squeezed; shape into eight 1/2-in.-thick patties.
  3. In the same skillet, heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add burgers in batches; cook until golden brown, 3-5 minutes on each side. Serve in wraps with Sriracha mayonnaise, and toppings as desired.

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