Rocket & Roses Creamy Celeriac & Sunflower Soup (vegan, gluten-free, LF)

Rocket & Roses Kitchen Play List:

Halestorm ~ Beautiful With You
Meredith Brooks ~ Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)
Them Crooked Vultures ~ Warsaw Or The First Breath You Take After You Give Up
The Stranglers ~ European Female
Shakira ~ Donde Estas Corazon
Thunder ~ She's So Fine (Live at Donnington - Monsters of Rock)
Depeche Mode ~ Shake The Disease 
Chely Wright ~ Not As In Love
Clare Teal ~ All The Things You Are
Tina Dico ~ In The Red
Bruce Springsteen ~ Hungry Heart 
Van Morrison ~ Have I Told You Lately?
Beth Hart ~ Love Thing
No Doubt ~ Running 

Wow...London was a trip! My roots are firmly based in London (although I was born in Devon) but I always forget how much I love the place until I go back...and then I fall in love with it all over again. However, I really dislike the traffic or maybe I'm just getting older. We had a packed four days planned but getting to and from places took so long we only got to do the 'big' things. Our hotel was basic but clean and comfortable. The Donmar's Henry IV was amazing and the all female cast rocked the performance particularly the actress Ashley McGuire who played Falstaff. She had me crying with laughter one moment then shrinking back in fear during a latter scene. We came out of that performance knowing we had witnessed something special. Saturdays big thing was at the Shepherds Bush Empire to see Tina Dico in concert and it was quite frankly...awesome. I know some hate that word but I don't care...it adequately describes the evening. We even got to see Bond Streets Christmas lights on the way back to the hotel afterwards. On Sunday we took a stroll to the British Museum to view the Ancient Lives, New Discoveries exhibit. I was completely fascinated with the eight lives they had pieced together and was surprised by how emotional I became. We also enjoyed a stroll around Soho and Carnaby Street...well you just have too. Sadly all this fun had an impact on my body so rest is on the cards for the next few days...well...when I've achieved some minimal cooking time. We also have our good friend Ann staying with us whilst she heals after some surgery so its Ouches and Expletive Therapy for the next week or so. It's necessary...it helps speed up healing...true story..as does laughter and thankfully we do a lot of that too. 

So to today's recipe...and I know, I know!..it's another soup recipe. But I do eat a lot of soup and especially so, when the days are colder and my kitchen time is limited. I am always floored by how a few simple ingredients can make a great tasting and satisfying meal. I wanted to make a nutritious and comforting soup for myself and Ann for lunch. I had a 1kg celeriac root begging to be used and that was that! 20 minutes later...Ann was slowly making her way through a serving. The flavours are deeply savoury with a cleanness to them. I'm not usually a pureed soup fan but it felt right to blend the veggies, beans and stock together to make a thickly delicious soup. Ann loved it...I loved it and the good news is we can enjoy it again tomorrow too! This makes four thick portions of soup or you could add a little more stock or water to thin it down to make servings for 6-8. The choice, as always, is entirely yours folks. 

Rocket & Roses Celeriac & Sunflower Soup (vegan, gluten-free & LF)

Rocket & Roses Celeriac & Sunflower Soup    Serves 4
(Original recipe from the Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen)

1 tsp rapeseed/canola oil or water to steam saute
1 med/lg white onion, finely chopped
2" piece of fresh ginger root, micro-grated with juice
3 cloves garlic, micro-grated
1 14oz tin of Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 kg celeriac root, peeled and cubed 
3 1/2 cups hot low sodium veggie stock or water, plus extra if you wish to thin
1 heaped tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
small handful of raw sunflower seeds, plus extra for topping (optional)

In a soup pan gently heat the oil and add the onions, garlic and ginger. Over a low heat, cover and cook the onion mix until it has softened. Approx 5 minutes..stirring often to prevent sticking. 

Add the celeriac and beans and stir well to coat in the onion mixture and leave to cook for 2 minutes, stirring once. 

Add the stock, parsley, lemon juice and season generously with freshly cracked black pepper and a pinch of low sodium salt. (Latter is optional) Stir well and cover and bring to a boil, stir in the sunflower seeds, reduce the heat to a simmer and replace the lid. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the celeriac is tender when tested. Remove from the heat and blend until smooth and creamy. Adding more hot stock/water to the soup if you want a thinner soup. Serve...

Enjoy! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your weekend was a good one and your week has started well...

~Red~ 

NB: This is my creation and I have no problem with you using the recipe or sharing it. I only ask you give credit where it's due via links back to this posting. Many thanks...~R~  

 

Living a Life

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

The Puppini Sisters ~ Could It Be Magic
The Zutons ~ How Does It Feel?
Helen Humes ~ Dirty Mistreater Blues
Queen ~ We Will Rock You
Queens of the Stone Age ~ ...Like Clockwork
The Cranberries ~ You And Me
Audioslave ~ Until We Fall
The Commitments ~ The Dark End of the Street
Bonnie Raitt ~ Million Miles
The Blow ~ Bump It
Slash ft Fergie ~ Beautiful Dangerous 
Schubert: Symphony #8 in B Minor Allegro Moderato
Airbourne ~ It Ain't Over Till It's Over
Javina Magness ~ One More Heartache

First rule of blogger club....don't talk about blogger club! Ha! No sorry that was too irrististable to not say and is from some movie I watched a while ago. lol Forgive me? What I meant to say was the first rule of blogging is...Live life first then blog about it. It's essential and for the last few days that is exactly what I have been doing. 

Remembering to do this...

Sadly coming home was almost a physical body blow for us both. And having to keep answering the same question....Glad you've had a great holiday but you are pleased to be home, right?....has been a little exhausting. Out of politeness you say..Yes of course...because no one really wants to hear the truth. Our truth being...No. Not at all. We are sad and miserable living in this house and in this town and we are truly desperate to leave...it has been a trial coming 'home' this time. And neither of us handled it well and now we are counting down the days to our short trip to Amsterdam and then it will be for the holidays to be over so we can get back to getting this place sold and making the move. But in the mean time we have to try and remember that even though we are very sad because of our situation, we still have a life to live. 

This week is ML's birthday week and there have been mini celebrations along the way. Firstly on Monday we were lucky to have tickets to watch the West End Touring Production of Cabaret. We attended with our good pals Dev and B and we enjoyed a fantastic night at the theatre. The perfomances were energetic and the emotive moments drew you in until you were lost with them. Will Young made for a great MC and I could see why he had won his awards. The supporting cast were amazing and we were entertained from the beginning to the end. 

Such a great show...I would happily see it again.

  
As we have taken every opportinity to leave the house we've also met up with pals for coffee/tea to catch up with each other and that time is precious. Catching up with my sister and hearing about the wedding updates was really good. And we also picked up the four legged fella from the Doggie Hotel. And as predicted he really didn't want to leave and has been pining for A & C since he returned. 

Coffee, Herbal Tea, Hot Water..or Kaluha...it all works as longs as the loved ones are there.

ML chose a movie for the enterainment for the evening of the actual birthday and as with every year I get dragged to a Sci Fi movie..lol. This year the selection was Ender's Game which ML had read 20 years ago. So with the company of Dev and her lovely Mum who is visiting right now, we made it to the movies. And beside four others we were the only ones in at this showing time and so we stretched out in the VIP seats and got settled in. 

Never heard of it until ML brought it to my attention...

Well...who knew? Who knew that I could watch a Sci Fi movie and get so lost and invested in it? lol. Not me, that is for sure. But that is exactly what happened with this movie. It's hard to talk about it without giving the fantastic plot twist away. So I shall say only this....first class story and scriptwriting...first class acting...great action combined with great moral issues. A fantastic movie and I was so pleased that ML asked me to go...but once again..who knew? lol

As ML has been on holiday from work this week too...we've also caught up on sleep..lol. But it has been so good...no rushing about in the mornings...just peaceful sleep followed by breakfast in bed...lovely. It's living...

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz and repeat

 
And during those rare moments this week where we have found ourselves at hell home and I've been a Candy Crush widow...I've caught up on a couple of movies that I have always wanted to see...today's being...

Thought it was about time I watched it...lol

...I know it's a fairly old movie but it is one I have never seen. Being a 'thriller' movie fan it is shocking to me that I haven't...but today it went on Netflix..ML was deep in CC territory so I thought I'd go for it. And to be honest...I enjoyed it very much but why it is considered such a classic is lost on me. Maybe it was a case of expectation ruining the results...but I am pleased I have watched it now. 

Tomorrow I am heading back into the kitchen so recipes will be back tomorrow folks. The rest of our Friday will be a quiet one and then on Saturday it's family day madness with my sister and the little ones. Sunday is the final celebration day as we are meeting up with our good friends for Sunday lunch in the city...

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Friday is a very good one...

~Red~ 

Arts: Theatre: Cabaret

Rocket & Roses Play List:

Cabaret OST Album (catching up lol)

I think it's safe to say folks that I am suffering the most awful post holiday blues. We came home to a freezing, almost damp cold house that no longer holds any appeal for either of us and the resulting mood was not a great one. However it has made us more determined to get this place sold and move on. Our life here is done..to quote The Band Perry...done, so done! But we'd had a great visit on our way home at ML's folks and a great time in Cornwall so we are choosing to focus on that and not Helltown. People have it a lot worse, eh? 

So it's ML's birthday week and therefore over the week there are little celebrations happening. The first being tonight...we are meeting up with our pals Dev & B and then going to the theatre to see the National Tour of the West End Production of Cabaret. I had always avoided Cabaret the movie having had an ex who was a little obsessed. lol. But ML had asked to go and then shortly after my agreeing the four of us sat down and watched the movie one Sunday afternoon and I really enjoyed it. Phew!! At least now I won't have to style my hair to hide sneakily plugged in ear buds...attached to my ever faithful iPod. lol. No, I jest of course...I would never do that...AHEM!lol. 

The Tour Poster

The day has been spent visiting my sister and catching up on the post wedding happenings and then buying new slippers because of the coldness of the house. So no cooking today but I am hoping to get some time in the kitchen once we have picked the four legged fella from the Doggie Hotel..although tempting him to leave is going to be hard work as he never wants to leave our friends A & C...lol. 

So life flips back to face reality once again and with a huge thud! Ah well...

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Monday has been kind to you all....

~Red~