Saturday evening, 24-11-24, cake and a simple leek and potato soup recipe

Evening, everyone.

I'm really enjoying these Oat Pantry products - the one I have tried anyway.  Now I am wondering if it would work as a sort of crumble topping just sprinkled over some fruit in a small container and baked for a short time.  Will it burn though?  I will have to give it a go and see.

After my grandson's stay-over a fortnight ago, I had some weetabix left.  I don't really use weetabix but I remembered that SW has a recipe for weetabix cake so I gave it a go yesterday.
I used extra sweetener, I used wholemeal SR flour instead of plain and I used more mixed spice.

It was delicious!  A bit like the tea loaf my mum used to make, I think.
I'm going to make it again for Christmas but with more 'exotic' dried fruit - dried cranberries, dried apple, that sort of thing.  And maybe a little glug of liqueur if I have any when I make it.
The recipe is an open one so I will post the link below; it was the easiest thing in the world to make, I used my air fryer to cook it and it cooked quicker than the recipe said.  And it should be easy to make a half amount if you want.

Oh - and it freezes well, sliced and interleaved with Easyleave or similar so you can enjoy one3 slice at a time.

https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/recipes/weetabix-cake

(Just remember to syn it!!)

Today's meals:

Yes, the Oat Pantry oats make a nice waffle.  I mixed some stewed apple and plum (not synned) into the yogurt and it was delish

I didnt count and healthy extras/syns, sorry.

 

The leek and potato soup was lovely - recipe below.

We will draw a veil of oblivion over the rest of the day, OK?  Suffice it to say, it was not on plan and I have no idea of syns.

Back on it tomorrow morning, I promise.

Tomorrow's meal plans:

B:  pancakes, fruit and yogurt

I've tried the fruit crumble and custard oats as porridge, as baked oats and as waffles (delicious!).  Now it is time for pancakes and then, tomorrow, a mug cake.

L:  roast beef and veg on a Yorkshire platter

D:  avocado and scrambled egg pitta with salad; fruit

Exercise:  a rest day, probably.

The Extra Bit:  a recipe

Simple Leek and Potato Soup.

Ingredients - I eyeball amounts as always, sorry.

potato (preferably floury), peeled and diced (cooks faster)

leek, cleaned and sliced

soup base mix or carrot and onion diced (and celery, if you have some - I didn't)

stock - chicken or vegetable

seasonings

nutmeg (pretty much an essential in this soup, for me)

dried mixed herbs - optional

milk - you don't need loads and it can be optional

water to top up if needed

Method:

1.  Place the cubed potato in a microwave proof dish, add a splash of water, cover and give them about four minutes until the cubes are soft.  Drain and mash to desired consistency.

(I always cook the potato separately.  I found that if they go in with the main mix, when it comes to blending the soup, the starch in the potato makes the whole soup go gloopy and I don't find it all that pleasant a texture.  I cook them separately, mash and add when the soup has been blended to desired texture.

However, if you don't mind gloopy, just cook them with everything else.)

2.  In your saucepan, soup maker, thermomix, whatever you use, place the leek, soup base mix (or individual veg), stock, salt, nutmeg and herbs (if using) and pepper plus water to top up.

(Don't add too much water at this stage; you can always add more.)

3.  Cook the vegetables until they are soft and cooked.  Remove from the heat.  Blend to the consistency you want.  Some like more texture than others.  It should be quite thick at this stage.

4.  Add the mashed potato and stir in well.  Check the seasonings and adjust.

5.  At this point, it should be very thick.  Now add milk to the thickness you want or you can use more water or stock.  Up to you.

6.  Taste and adjust seasonings once more, bring back up to just under a boil, grate over more nutmeg and serve.

You can garnish with a blob of cream, creme fraiche or yogurt, add grated cheese, mixed seeds, croutons, whatever you fancy - but don't forget to work out the extra syns or healthy extras.

Potato, stock, seasonings - SW free foods
Leek, soup base veg - SW speed foods
Milk - use as part of a healthy extra A or syn accordingly

Don't forget to syn any extras.

I find this freezes well.  I know they say freeze before adding milk (and you can) but I find that as long as I mix it well as it is re-heating and bring it back to just simmering, it is fine.  Don't actually boil as the milk might split.
However, if it does, it's not a disaster, it's still perfectly safe, it just changes the look of the soup, that's all.