Bacon, tomato and lentil soup

Taste tested by my boys, this is a really easy soup to warm you up on a rainy day.

splash vegetable or olive oil
2 - 4 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, grated
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 L salt reduced chicken stock
1 cup red lentils
Salt and pepper to taste
Greek yoghurt
Fresh parsley or coriander

Saute the bacon and onions in a large pot over a medium heat until the bacon is just cooked and onions clear.  Add grated carrot and cook until it softens, about 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes and stock, increase heat and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat, add the lentils and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or so until the lentils are cooked and the soup has thickened.  Remove from heat and cool slightly before blending with a stick blender.  Return to the stove, season with salt and pepper and reheat when you're ready to serve with dollop of greek yoghurt and some fresh parsley or coriander. 

Weetbix Slice

Preheat oven to 180C and grease and line a 18 x 28cm tin.

125gm butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup rye flour
1/2 cup wholemeal flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 weetbix, crushed
1 cup dessicated or shredded coconut
1/2 cup dried fruit, chopped (raisins, dates, dried apricots, cranberries.. whatever is in your pantry will do!)
1/2 cup dark chocolate bits

Combine butter, syrup and sugar in a pot and stir over a medium heat until the butter melts.  Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before adding vanilla and egg.

Mix in flours and baking powder.  Add remaining ingredients and stir until evenly combined.

Press mixture into lined tin and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the centre is as firm as the edges.  Remover from oven and cool for 5 - 10 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack.  Allow to cool completely before cutting into slices else it will fall apart!

You can drizzle melted chocolate over the top before slicing if you're feeling fancy too!

Spiced Pumpkin and Chocolate Chip Muffins

Oh man, I love autumn!  It's been pouring down for the past couple of days and my boys are on school holidays so it's been the perfect time to get in the kitchen and get a few things done.  Mr B bought a massive butternut squash a few days ago so I have a freezer full of pumpkin puree for Baby B and 30 muffins just about to come out of the oven..

Spiced Pumpkin and Chocolate Chip Muffins

Makes about 24 muffins

1 1/4 cups caster sugar
1/2 cup rice bran oil
4 eggs
2 cups mashed pumpkin
1/2 cup milk

3 cups plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks (as always, be generous)

Preheat oven to 200C.  Grease and line 24 muffin tins 

Mix sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl.  Add pumpkin and milk and combine thoroughly.

In another bowl mix together the dry ingredients.  Add to wet mixture and stir through chocolate chips.  Do not over mix!

Spoon mixture into prepared muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes or until muffins spring back when you press lightly on the tops.