Hearty tomato and vegetable soup Recipe

Photography by Mark O'Meara

Enjoy robust tomato flavours and the best of produce in this hearty vegetable soup.

Serves: 6

Time to prep: 10 minutes

Time to cook: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium brown onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 large zucchini, sliced
• 1 large red capsicum, chopped
• 1 litre salt-reduced chicken stock
• 575g jar napoletana pasta sauce
• 1 cup dried small shell pasta
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 80g baby spinach
• Shaved parmesan cheese, to serve

Method

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and celery. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes or until onion has softened. Add zucchini and capsicum. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables start to soften.
• Add stock, sauce and 2 cups cold water. Cover. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Add pasta and peas. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until pasta is just tender. Stir in spinach. Serve topped with parmesan.

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Steak Sandwich with Tomato Relish

Photography by Mark O'Meara

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Bought sauce can be high in kilojoules, but homemade relish is a healthier option.

Ingredients

• Olive oil spray
• 1 small brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 x 400g can no-added-salt chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbs malt vinegar
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• 4 (about 100g each) beef fillet steaks
• 8 slices wholegrain bread
• Baby cos lettuce leaves, to serve
• 4 drained canned beetroot slices

Method

• Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Spray with olive oil spray. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and mustard seeds, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic.
• Add the tomato, vinegar and sugar. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until thick. Set aside to cool.
• Use the flat side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin to pound each steak until 5mm thick. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Spray with olive oil spray to grease. Cook steaks for 1-2 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate. Cover with foil. Set aside for 2 minutes to rest.
• Meanwhile, toast the bread.
• Divide half the bread among serving plates. Top with lettuce, steak, beetroot and a dollop of tomato relish. Top with remaining bread to serve.

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Ricotta, Tomato & Cucumber Crackers

Photography by Ben Dearnley

Quick, easy and healthy.... Have as a snack or for lunch!

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup fresh ricotta
• 3 Sandwich Size Original Vita-Weats
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced
• 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, thinly sliced
• snow pea sprouts

Method

• Divide ricotta among Vita-Weats. Top with cucumber, tomatoes, and snow pea sprouts

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