It’s December 2nd, which in Australia mean a few important things in my world.
1) I am going to have to wear shorts, tee shirts and a bathing suit in the next few weeks as it is getting super hot.
2) Christmas mince pies are on sale in the supermarkets. They are friggin delicious, and will only be around for another month, so I’m giving myself the excuse to go for it, bearing in mind I have to get into shorts, tee shirts and a bathing suit.
3) The Christmas tree is up, and fully decorated (it’s been up for a month, in fact).
Having said that about my Christmas tree, I feel like every year, Christmas pounces on me out of nowhere. Already, it is impossible to find a park at shopping malls, as they are filled with stampeding people from 9am onwards. People get so stressed before Christmas, and then from Christmas to the New Year, it’s like a ghost town.
At Christmas, I hardly have any family around (in fact I have no family apart from my muse and the ferrets this year), and I have no permanent job, being a writer and a casual nurse. So that cuts out two very important aspects of the lead up to Christmas: family meltdowns and the office Christmas party.
All that aside it’s a magical time of year, and to celebrate the magic I’m going to share an easy to make, tasty and nutritious soup that will get you through any mad herd of crazed shoppers, any family meltdown, and any hangover if you disgrace yourself at the office Christmas party.
It’s also vegan (if you make it with vegetable stock,), gluten free and just about every other label you can stick on a food that sounds good.
EASY CHRISTMAS SURVIVAL SOUP
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped carrots
1-1/2 cups of dried yellow split peas
6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
Method: In a big saucepan, heat up the olive oil, then add the onion and chopped carrot, and cook for about eight minutes until softened. Chuck in the lentils with the stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about forty minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils go soft and start to break up. Puree with a blender, adding a bit more water if it is too thick in consistency, then add salt and black pepper to taste. Yum!
Jane Ainslie 
With the change of season here in the states, I often forget about the opposite climate that you’re experiencing in Australia. Having grown up with cold weather and snow for the holidays, I wonder what it would be like experiencing it in shorts and tee shirts like you 🙂 But I guess regardless where you are this time of year, the craziness abounds with countless festivities, family drama and the shopping. Have a great holiday!
Christmas in the heat is weird because all our Christmas decorations and cards have pictures of snow on them, and we still try and roast things in the oven and it all gets too hot and silly. I look out the window and expect snow, but instead there is blazing heat. It doesn’t get dark until 9pm too, so all the decorations glitter in the sun in the evening, and you can’t see the lights on the houses until late. But it’s still fun. Have a great holiday too!
I never realized that the imagery is of snow — that’s so interesting. At least you never have to worry about all the cold weather, digging out from under, freezing… 🙂