Veggie Oat Soup

This Veggie Oat Soup is one of the soups which we like to include during Ramadan (month of fasting). It is an excellent option for both; Iftar (after breaking fast), and Suhoor (before beginning of fast). It is made with simple ingredients, easy to make, filling and delicious. Some like to add chicken or beef to this soup, but we make it vegetarian at our house. It is very versatile, you can add more vegetables if you want, and it will still taste good (we add diced green beans sometimes).

Oats is known for its many benefits which includes lowering cholesterol, maintaining insulin levels, and protecting against heart diseases. It is also full of fiber, which helps with digestion and keeps you full for longer. You can check out my breakfast/snack section for recipes  that include oats.

Most oats are grown and processed in facilities that process gluten containing grains such as barley and wheat, so that is why oats are not labeled as gluten free foods for possible contamination. However, they are safe for most people with gluten free intolerances. Nowadays, we can find many oats that are labelled gluten free which is safer especially for people who suffer from celiac diseases and can not tolerate even a small percentage of gluten.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do :)


Recipe (2-4people)

Ingredients
- 1 cup of oats (soak in water so its covered for at least 10 minutes. i like to grind it in my blender to turn it into flour so its faster to cook and more smooth but this step could be skipped)
- 2 medium tomatoes (blended)
- 1 carrot (peeled and grated)
- 1 big zucchini (peeled and grated)
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 1 clove of garlic (minced)
- 1 organic vegetable cube (i use kallo brand, you can find it at lulu) and sometimes I use homemade vegetable broth instead.
- 1 TBSP of oil (I like using avocado or coconut oil)
- 1 tsp of mixed bahraini masala powder / or mixed seasonings 
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 TBSP parsley (optional)

Method
- On medium fire, sauté the onions and garlic.
- Add the vegetable cube.
- Add the grated zucchini and carrots.
- Add the oats with its water and stir well.
- Add the blended tomatoes.
- Add 4 cups of boiling water.
- wait for it to boil then simmer on low fire for 30 minutes until its soft and reaches your desired consistency.
- Add 1 TBSP of parsley before serving.

Squeeze some lemon to your soup (i sometimes like adding a bit of apple cider vinegar) and enjoy :)

Basic Hummus

Since I stopped dairy, Hummus has been my best friend! It saved me from many cravings and really helped me through my transition.

I absolutely love chickpeas! We use it quiet often at home not just to make hummus but for many other recipes. I love adding chickpeas to salads, making falafels and curry's with them. I also like to turn the chickpeas into flour with my blender to use the flour to make tortillas, crackers, guiltless treats and pizza crusts.

As I have mentioned before in my "chickpea mini pizza" post, the nutritional benefits of chickpeas are many. They are filled with fibre, high in protein, provide many essential vitamins and minerals. Chickpeas makes you feel full, boosts digestion, balances healthy cholesterol levels, protects against heart diseases and stabilises sugar levels.

This Hummus recipe honestly can not be easier! I sometimes add a bit of a steamed beetroot to make it into pink hummus or a bit of a steamed pumpkin to make it into orange hummus. It gives it a bit of a unique taste and is always nice to please children and guests :)

Recipe 

1/2 cup of boiled chickpeas

1 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP tahini (check out the benefits of tahini in my Quinoa, Tofu & Avocado Veggie Bowl with Tahini Dressing blog post)

2 limes (juice)

A few pinches of himalayan/sea salt (to your taste)

1/2 tsp cumin

2 TBSP of water (sometimes needed to make it creamer and sometimes skipped)

Put all the ingredients in a blender

Blend for around 2-3 minutes. You might need to add water in intervals until it reaches to your desired consistency.

My favourite way to enjoy them is with my sweet potato chips, buckwheat bread or vegetable sticks. You can even add them to any meal to make it tastier :D

 
I hope you enjoy this Basic Hummus recipe as much as we do!