Nacho Soup with Salsa & Carrot Dip Chips

This recipe was created by Joni Condos of Opti Cook. Note: OPTIFAST licenses a selection of Opti Cook recipes and does not endorse or hold any further association with Opti Cook or its website content.
 

Ingredients (serves 8)

Soup

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 sachet (50g) of low salt tomato paste
• 4 cups Massel (Vegan) salt-reduced stock 
• 400g can, no added sugar crushed tomatoes
• 1 medium zucchini, roughly chopped
• 1 cup of cauliflower florets, roughly chopped

Carrot Nacho Chips

• 3 thick carrots cut into long thin rounds on the diagonal
• 1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp olive oil

 
Capsicum Salsa

• ½ cup red capsicum, diced
• ½ cup red onion, diced
• ½ cup coriander, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• Pinch salt
• Pinch cracked black pepper
• NB. You can also add 2 tbsp of chopped jalapeno peppers if you like them

Method

Soup

1. If using the salsa on top, do this recipe first to allow its flavours to develop.
2. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, garlic, cumin, paprika & chilli & cook for 5 mins.
3. Add tomato paste, stock, tomatoes, zucchini & cauliflower. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low, and cook for 30 mins or until the cauliflower is lovely & soft.
4. Blitz with a stick blender or similar until smooth & creamy. This can take some time, but it does come together. NB. Make sure the cauliflower is really well cooked, or else it could be a little grainy.
5. Taste & add salt or black pepper if needed. If you are not going to do the salsa on top, add 2 tbsp lemon juice or to taste.

Carrot Chips

6. Preheat oven to 210 °C & place a tray in the oven to warm up. Cut the carrots. Mix with all other ingredients.
7. Place in a single layer on the preheated tray. Cook for 10 mins, then turn and cook for a further 5-10 mins. Check that they do not burn, as it can happen very quickly. I recommend setting a timer so you don't forget them, especially if cooking the soup simultaneously.

Salsa

8. Stir all ingredients together & pop in the fridge to develop the flavours while you cook the soup.

Assembly

9. Add the soup to the bowls, top with a spoonful of the salsa, a few carrot chips & some coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice.
10. You can also top the soup with fresh coriander, a shake of paprika &/or jalapeno peppers.

Notes

• You can buy Jalapeno peppers in a jar in the Mexican section of the supermarket.
• The soup freezes very well.
• The salsa keeps in the fridge for at least three days.
• If you are not doing the salsa, please add a squeeze of lemon to the soup to give it the acidic kick it needs amongst the sweetness of the tomatoes.