Food for Thought

With the colder weather upon us, soups are a simple, quick and nutritious meal, you can literally utilise anything that happens to be in your fridge, and throw it into a pot. It's not necessary to tediously chop vegetables finely, especially if you lack dexterity in your hands, for when cooked the soup can be puréed. A complete meal in one saucepan, (limiting washing up, after all, who likes washing up?) I love soup. Once cooked, whizzed up, the thick warming consistency is perfect and easy to swallow for any Parkinson's patient experiencing problems with swallowing. Now that I have no sense of smell, I tend to need stronger flavours to entice me to eat, so I use turmeric, cumin, ginger and various other spices which make the soup more appetizing. A minestrone soup can be very wholesome, adding pasta a few minutes before serving. Using lentils and barley in a soup is another way of making this one pot meal a filling and good solution for lunch or supper, which can be reheated quickly in the microwave in single portions, if you find yourself alone. When you experience a loss of appetite it's not only important to ensure you are getting the proper nourishment your body needs, but helpful having simple food available that needs little preparation or fussing over.

Here is a favourite recipe from a favourite cousin (I'm sure she wont mind sharing it with you!).

Carrot & Orange Soup

(serves 4 - 6 people)

2 Tbsp. oil

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

900g carrots, peeled and chopped

1 litre light vegetable stock

1/2 Tsp. nutmeg

1/2 Tsp. paprika

1 - 2 Tbsp. fresh coriander chopped

Rind and juice of 1 large orange

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Garnish with extra coriander leaves and thin orange slices

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onions, then cover the pan and sweat them for 2 - 3 minutes. Peel and chop carrots and add to pan. Cover and sweat vegetables for a further 10 minutes. Next add the stock, spices, coriander and the rind and juice of an orange. Bring to the boil and simmer for 40 minutes. Let the soup cool, then liquidize well; season to taste and then return to pan and re-heat gently. Serve with extra coriander leaves and a shin slice of orange.

Simply delicious - try it!