Happenings

Hello! I haven't posted for a while, been rather busy with this, and that. I can't say I've got to the bottom of this, and honestly haven't even started on that!

I posted a while back about live yoghurt being tolerable for me. Well, it seems I might have to retract that post! I've eaten some over the past few days, including two servings today, and while my symptoms aren't as bad as if I'd consumed the same amount of plain milk, they're not quite as minimal as they have been. There may be other factors at work here, as 'this' thing I'm trying to get to the bottom of could be causing similar GI symptoms to lactose intolerance. I definitely noticed adverse symptoms when I ate ice cream the other night!

In other news, I have discovered a previously untapped talent for making soup! Here's my recipe for a lovely seasonal apple and parsnip soup. It's so creamy tasting and smooth textured that you'd think it had dairy in, but it doesn't! But, if you like your soup even more creamy then you could add some Lactofree milk once it's blended. Here goes:

Ingredients: (serves 5 good portions)

2 medium/large parsnips
2 medium red onions (they give a sweeter flavour)
2 medium sized baking potatoes
1 large clove of garlic (feel free to add a little more if you like)
1 and a half cooking apples (put the whole two in if you like apples!)
Handful of fresh sage
Handful of fresh thyme

6 rashers of bacon (optional, to serve)

Method:

In a large saucepan gently sweat the chopped onions in a little olive oil.

Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop the parsnips and potatoes.

Add the garlic to the onions and let it sweat for a few minutes.

Add the potatoes and parsnips to the onions and let them gently fry for a few minutes, stirring so they are well coated in the oil.

Add boiling water to the pan so it covers the vegetables well and let it simmer.

Roughly chop the sage and pull the thyme leaves from the stems, then add to the saucepan while it's simmering away.

Peel and chop the apples and add them to the saucepan about 10 minutes before the end of cooking (which is when the potatoes and parsnips are soft).

Take the pan off the heat and blend the contents using a handblender.

Return the pan to the heat and warm through gently. Add some lactose free milk at this stage if you like a creamier soup.

While the soup is warming through, grill some bacon until it's nice a crispy then chop the cooked bacon.

Serve the soup with crusty bread and bacon bits sprinkled on the top.

Enjoy!