The benefits of winter soups and stews, bulging with nutritious vegetables and herbs, were well-known to early food-reformers such as Alfred Vogel, who urged patients to eat from food sources close to Nature, rather than heavily processed and denatured food that had spent months or years on the production line and shop shelf.

As the chilly nights draw in, comforting bowls of hot, nourishing soup are exactly what our bodies need. They are excellent for those wanting to avoid extra calories and are quick and simple to make. The leftovers from soups and stews can easily constitute the base of another meal. Traditionally, a pot would be left on the stove with additional vegetables or unfortunate small game being added every day.

Additional nutritional value, as well as taste, can be added by using some of A.Vogel’s condiments. Kelpamare is a seasoning sauce containing extracts of vegetables and sea kelp. This sauce is also fat and cholesterol free, so flavours without padding.

Using a stock in your soups and gravies? Plantaforce is a bouillon, a high quality vegetable concentrate full of taste. It may be used to make delicious vegetable broth or as seasoning for soups, stews, gravies, sauces, and much more. An easily digestible nutritious bouillon, it is especially good when mixed with rice (while cooking) or noodles (after cooking). It contains no artificial chemicals, preservatives or cholesterol and is low in calories.

Alfred Vogel also made two seasoning salts, Herbamare and Herbamare Spicy. Herbamare is still made to his original formula, using fresh, organically grown herbs and sea salt, with a sprinkling of kelp. The herbal base is made up of organic celery, leek, cress, onion, chive, parsley, lovage, garlic, basil, marjoram, rosemary and thyme. There are three varieties to choose from - original Herbamare, Herbamare Spicy with the addition of organically grown chilli and pepper which gives it its spicy taste and new Herbamare Diet which is a combination of organic herbs and potassium chloride, ideal for people on low salt diets. Herbamare is a tasty alternative to table salt, bringing the taste and aroma of fresh herbs to your food.

Why not try out one or two of these delicious recipes and add to the variety and flavour of your family’s winter fare.

Russian Borscht

1 to 2 litres of water
200g beetroot, raw
200g cabbage
150g onions and 150g carrots
1 leek
2 dsp of organic beetroot juice
2½ dsp Molkosan (concentrated whey)
1 to 2 tblsps of Plantaforce
Herb mix, mild or piquant
Herbamare, according to taste
2 dsp sunflower oil
A little soured cream

Peel the beetroot, onions and carrots and chop finely. Wash the leek and cabbage and cut into strips. Heat the oil and lightly cook the vegetables. Add the water, Plantaforce and the vegetables. Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes. Lastly add Molkosan and organic beetroot juice. Put on the plates and garnish with soured cream.

Mushroom Risotto

100g natural brown rice
1 dsp Plantaforce
300g fresh mushrooms
2 garlic cloves
1 onion
1 dsp sunflower oil
grated Parmesan according to taste

Dissolve Plantaforce in approx 150ml warm water. Chop the onion and garlic finely and cook in the oil until transparent. Chop mushrooms roughly and add to the onion and garlic mix. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the rice followed by the liquid, adding more water as required. Lower the heat.

Serve with grated Parmesan according to taste.

Vegetable Stew

200g fresh mushrooms (mixed)
200g carrots
150g onions
150g Chinese cabbage or cabbage
1 dsp Plantaforce
250ml water
1 tsp Herbamare
1-2 tsp marjoram, chopped
2 dsp soured cream
2 dsp sunflower oil

Chop the mushrooms and onions and cook for a few minutes in the oil. Peel the carrots, cut into strips, put into the pan with water, Plantaforce and Herbamare and leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes with the lid on. Add the finely chopped cabbage and leave to simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add soured cream and marjoram. Serve with natural brown rice.

Beetroot Schnitzel

600g cooked beetroot
1 egg
100g breadcrumbs
½ tsp crushed white pepper
Herbamare
Oil

Cut the cooked, cooled and peeled beetroot into slices approx 1cm thick. Crack the egg into a bowl. Mix the breadcrumbs, Herbamare and pepper separately. Heat the oil in a frying pan, dip the beetroot slices in egg and then into the breadcrumb mixture. Cook on both sides until golden brown. Garnish with BioSnacky fresh sprouts and serve with mashed potatoes.

Vogel’s Stir Fry

1 med onion
300g approx. tofu
70g mange tout
70g green beans
70g baby corn
1 tblsp olive oil
1½ dsps Kelpamare

Peel and finely chop onion. Saute with olive oil in large frying pan or wok until soft. Chop 300g of Tofu into small cubes. Add tofu to onions. Add Kelpamare and saute gently for a few minutes. Add vegetables and fry until vegetables are to your liking. If you want to add dry herbs or spices to stir-fry add when the onions are just starting to cook. If you want to add fresh herbs add with vegetables. Serve with crusty bread, corn bread or any grain such as rice, couscous, millet, quinoa or buckwheat. Garnish with a small handful of BioSnacky mung bean shoots.

Carrot & Lentil Soup

400g carrots
1 medium onion
200g red lentils
1 litre Plantaforce stock
Sprigs of parsley or chives

Peel and chop onion and carrots. Place in large pan. Rinse lentils in a sieve in cold water. Add to pan. Add 1 litre of Plantaforce stock. Simmer gently until carrots and onions are soft. When soup is ready, serve as it is or liquidise if preferred. Chop parsley or chives and add to soup.

You may want to add approx. ¼ litre water or stock to soup for better consistency. Garnish with a small handful of BioSnacky alfalfa shoots.