Chicken Soup

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts, chopped into a few pieces each
Paprika
Chilli flakes
Cayenne pepper
Garlic powder
Cumin
Oregano
4 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks
3 sticks celery, chopped
3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
5 garlic cloves, grated
1 litre low-salt vegetable stock
1 tsp mixed herbs

Optional
2 red peppers, sliced
1 tin tomatoes
half a bag of spinach
1 pack of tortelloni, cooked

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Put 1 tbsp oil into an ovenproof dish. Add chicken pieces and garlic and coat in oil, spices and herbs. Add a covering of boiling water and cover with tinfoil. Place in the oven for 45 minutes. 
2. After 25 minutes, turn oven down to 150 C and stir chicken around before returning to the oven for remaining 20 minutes. 
3. When finished cooking, remove chicken (and garlic) from dish and pull apart with two forks. Sieve the remaining liquid into a bowl to remove scum.
4. Meanwhile, peel and chop your veg. 
5. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add carrots and celery and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes. 
6. Add sweet potato and cook for 5 minutes. 
7. Add garlic and stock and liquid from oven chicken. [If adding peppers and tomatoes, add now]. Stir well and bring to the boil.
8. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until everything is nearly fully cooked. 
9. Add chicken to the soup now and stir in. [Add spinach and tortelloni at this stage if using]. When chicken is fully heated through again, spoon into bowls and serve with crusty bread.

Veggie Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

Topping

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks

2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks

Dash of milk

Knob of butter

Grated mozzarella

Filling

2 large onions, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 sticks celery, chopped

1 cup of lentils, rinsed and soaked

1 whole beetroot, chopped

1 can chickpeas, drained

Good handful of frozen peas

2 tins of tomatoes

Dried basil, paprika, cumin

Method

1. Boil sweet potatoes and potatoes for 15-20 mins until soft. Preheat oven to 180 C.
2. Heat oil in large saucepan. Sauté onions, carrots, celery  for 5 mins until softened.
3. Add lentils, chickpeas, peas and beetroot. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add tinned tomatoes, herbs, and spices and stir well.
5. Cook for 10 mins until carrots are tender and lentils are cooked.
6.  Mash topping ingredients together and season.
7. Pour filling into an ovenproof dish. Top with potatoes and sprinkle cheese on top.
8. Bake in the oven for 15 mins until browned. Serve with crusty bread.