Beetroot and liquorice soup with quinoa flat bread

Hi friends!

After a busy weekend of moving, cleaning and unpacking, we are finally settling down in our new home. We are not quite done yet, of course, but the basics are all sorted out and at least we can get on with our daily lives. I am loving all the space, the abundant natural light and the huge north facing balcony in our new home. We are located near a peaceful lagoon and a 5 minute walk from an ocean beach which is exactly what we wanted. In the morning, whilst having breakfast on the balcony, I could smell the salty sea and hear the loud waves crashing against the beach. Just magical. 

 

Here is a little sneak peek into our new kitchen. It is not quite ready yet, as it's missing bar stools and a few other things. I will post lots more photos when we have everything sorted out and all our new furniture is in. I love the open plan kitchen though and there is so much storage space! It's a huge change from our previous tiny kitchen and I can already tell how much easier cooking is when there is actually space to move around.

I prepared this beetroot and liquorice soup for lunch today. It was unseasonally cold and rainy for a summer's day, so a soup was just perfect. The quinoa flat bread is an adaptation from a traditional Finnish potato flat bread. I've cooked it on stove top, but you could of course bake it in the oven as well. I love the combination of beets and liquorice. We Nordic people are mad about liquorice, and it certainly complements the sweet beetroot so well. I couldn't be happier!

Beetroot and liquorice soup with quinoa flat bread

(serves 2)

1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil

550g beetroot, peeled and chopped into cubes

large knob of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

3 green onions, chopped

2 teaspoons ground liquorice*

pinch of salt

2 teaspoons pink peppercorns, slightly crushed

1 litre water

125ml almond milk**

* Ground liquorice is available at spice shops. In Sydney you can get it from Herbie's Spices.

** My recipe for almond milk is here.

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan. Add the beetroot and ginger and cook for a few minutes. 

2. Add the green onions, liquorice, salt, peppercorns and water and let the soup simmer on low heat for 30-40 minutes or until the beetroot is tender. Set aside to cool.

3. Purée the soup in a blender. Stir in the almond milk. Serve warm or room temperature.

Quinoa flat bread

(makes 4-5)

250ml recently boiled water

60g quinoa flakes*

60g quinoa flour

pinch of salt

* Quinoa flakes are found in health food stores. Look for flakes in particular, not the 'normal' quinoa. In Sydney, Honest to Goodness stocks excellent quinoa flakes.

1. Place the quinoa flakes in a bowl and top them with boiling water. Leave to soak for a few minutes. 

2. Add in the flour and salt and mix to combine.

3. Dust your fingers in some extra flour and form small round breads (10cm across, 1cm thick). Cook the breads in a dry skillet on medium heat for a few minutes on each side. The bread should feel firm to touch and there should be a few brown spots on the cooked surface. Alternatively you can bake the breads in 200C oven for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm with the beetroot and liquorice soup.