Tastes are a funny thing. I have definite taste preferences and they often vary quite wildly from Mr NQN’s. I like salty and sweet and don’t like bitter very much at all having never grown up with much bitter food as my mother doesn’t like it and therefore never prepared bitter tasting foods. Mr NQN on the other hand loves all things sweet and juicy (which could be perhaps traced back to the fact that he was breast fed until he was 5 years old – hey, at least it’s not 15 years old right? 
) and he doesn’t mind bitter. His face will light up when I bring him a bowl of fruit salad but remain nonplussed when I bring him an aged beef steak with crispy duck fat potatoes. And it is why I barely get excited at most fruit unless it has been tasted by him and declared “sweet” (unless it’s figs, cherries or other reliably sweet fruit) and why I’ll avoid things like witlof and bitter melon.
Case in point about my sweet preference, I prefer red and yellow capsicums which are lovely and sweet and I never choose green capsicums which are less so. So when I spied some lovely red capsicum at the market I grabbed a kilo of them knowing that I’d caramelise them. I tend to cook things that bring our the natural sweetness in items and roasting vegetables such as carrots and capsicum brings out the sugars caramelising them beautifully.
Cheese pockets sound all very exotic (and don’t we wish we had pockets made out of cheese that we could snack on during the day?) but in essence they’re just little cubes of cheese, whatever you fancy really, made soft and gooey by the hot soup. They float throughout this soup and so every mouthful or so you’ll encounter a little cheesey pocket of goodness. I’ve specified about 200grams of cheese which is a lot I know but if you’re serving people that 50grams of cheese per person which is not too unhealthy amount. And this soup does improve the day after and the day after that (if there’s any left).
So tell me Dear Reader, do you ever carry food in your bag or pocket for a snack and if so, what do you carry?
Roasted Capsicum and Carrot Soup with Cheese Pockets
Serves 3-4 people
- 650g/1.4 pounds red capsicum
- 300g/10.5 ozs carrot
- 2 red onions
- 3 cloves garlic
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 50ml/1.7 fl. oz. cream (optional)
- Approximately 200g/7ozs. cheese of your choice (remember the more cheese the merrier ) cut into cubes.
You will also need a stick blender, blender of food processor.
Chopped carrots
Sliced capsicums (although you don’t need to slice them up as much as this)
1. Preheat oven to 200c/400F. Remove the seeds and green top of the capsicum and slice up the capsicum – you don’t have to slice it as much as I did as it will all get blitzed up together. Add chopped up carrot, peeled and quartered onion. Roast for 1 hour. Add garlic in it’s skin after 30 minutes baking.
Doesn’t look too appetising here but never fear…
The blitz is here!
Mmm red!
2. Allow to cool slightly. Heat up stock in a large saucepan and add the capsicum, carrot and onion. Peel garlic out of its skin and add this along with the teaspoon of sugar. Heat up and simmer for 15 minutes and then process in blender or food processor-be careful it will be hot so you may want to cool it a little. Once processed, put back on the stove to keep warm and add in cream here if you are using it.
3. Heat serving bowls and ladle into bowls while piping hot. Drop cheese cubes into hot soup and wait for a few minutes while cheese starts to melt and then serve.
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53 Comments | Add your own
Hmmm…it’s getting cold in Sydney, perfect for soup!
I carry lots of food with me for snacking but sadly it’s sultana’s and cheese sticks for my 3 kids under 5. So I guess I do have cheese pockets. I am so with you on not preferring bitter at all. Yum love soup coming into winter.
I love vegetable soups!This looks so delicious
I usually carry some food with me because I hate getting hungry and I know people around me hate it when I get hungry too!Apple is an easy choice for a quick snack 
I love those roasted chickpeas you can get at the supermarket. You get a box of six little packets and they’re perfect for snacking on the run. Lovely and salty too
That looks delicious! I think I need a stick blender…the thought of transferring soup to the food pro and back to a pot again is a bit daunting.
Oh this looks delicious!
I usually carry apples, or grapes and if I’ve baked something the day before then I’d probably snack on it too, say like a cake or a muffin. I always carry food with me.
A wonderful soup! what a great combo!
Cheers,
Rosa
Soup…warming the cockles of one’s heart!
I carry protein bars and nuts, mainly Pistachios and Almonds. If I don’t have any food, a cappuccino always satisfies me.
A beautiful rustic soup, sounds super flavorful! I usually have a couple of energy bars or apples in my bag often!
Great looking soup. I remember as a child adding grated cheese to Big Red Tomato soup and having the beautiful cheesy strands floting around in the bowl. Yum.
Looks like it’d stain well
Mmmm…. lovely soup… though i agree on your cheese comment…love the idea of cheese pockets in soup, its very very tempting but keeping in mind the fat wouldn’t add so much as 50 gms per person but then won’t skip it althogether too.
That looks totally yum. I could go a bowl, or three, of that right now.
I have a thing for not mixing savoury and sweet together. I don’t get things like apricot chicken. Either on their own are fine but together makes me shudder.
As for carrying food with me, I have a baby boy so often snacks are for him. However I have found these surfboard shaped rice cracker things called Baby Mum-Mums and they come in packs of two. I don’t mind the veggie flavoured ones so we’ll often share!
Makin it!
Looks so good Lorraine!
I hope you had some delicious crusty bread to go with it, mmm.
Your soup looks so yummy! So delish…..
One of the best things about Winter…hmmm, maybe the only thing!? (lol) is it’s the time for lots of lovely hot soups! yay!
Carrying food around with me is not something I have ever done. Don’t know why. I do take a large bottle of water everywhere. Does that count?
p.s. Keep forgetting to thank you for dropping by and leaving your lovely comment. Sorry about the distribution of talents, but if you didn’t have your fab one for cooking and reporting on it, where would we go for a great read about food????? lol. Pls keep it up!
Oh, my mother’s allergic to capsicum, tomato, and cheese so this is something I’ve never had the likes of, but pockets of gooey cheese sounds so enticing! I have a wedge of blue at home, that could work with this soup, couldn’t it?
I never buy green capsicum either, just doesn’t compare to red! This soup looks delicious, i’m hanging out for soup weather to really hit.
Yummo! This is tonight’s dinner
I carry almonds. My bag’s usually full of ‘stuff’ so there’s not room for more delicious food.
Oh Lorraine, You’ve done it again! (With apologies to the McCain ad creators).
This is a soup I just HAVE to try, as I love all those flavours. And how pleased I was, to see that I am not the only person to add cheese to soup …
soup + cheese pockets….um YUM!!!! Love it!
You had me at gooey cheese pockets.
Cheese pockets might be the most brilliant thing I have ever heard. And my snack of choice is Goldfish Crackers.
I have 2 toddlers and am pregnant with twins so my handbag feels like a pantry! There is always containers of carrot sticks, roasted chickpeas, cheese cubes, dried biscuits and sultanas at hand.
mmmm just what i had in mind for a tummy warmer!
Ooh this sounds so good! And how decadent do cheese pockets sound!
Anyway I usually carry around granola bars (really should make a batch soon!) or a handful of cashew nuts. Comes in really handy when I’m held up at work unexpectedly
I hate green peppers too! This sounds like my type of soup and the cheese…yum
Lorraine… what don’t you get up to? This soup is just perfect… healthy and yummy at the same time… and that color!!
Our weather has been so cold and odd.. this should warm me up!
breastfed until he was 5? wowza. wow. za. interesting tidbit and LOVELY soup. i think the cheese pocket idea is so nifty! i also prefer red and yellow peppers, but they’re always so much more pricy than green. grr.
That looks brillant and tasty. We’re coming into cold weather too, so just the right time for soup.
i think in the ingredients list you meant to say ‘cheese of your choice’, not ‘cheese of your cheese’… Maybe not.
ann
Lovely combination of flavours not so sure about little melty cheese pockets, I like my cheese melty but separate preferably on a carb, hehe!
You had me at “cheese pockets” – I mean, what’s not to love? I always carry snacks – fear of hangrrr always present: muesli bars, chocolate and fruit and nuts.
5 years old, oh my goodness! My hubby was actually breastfed until he was 4 though…he told me one time when his mom was busy cooking dinner he told her he wanted to be breastfed or else he would throw himself in the oven, lol! His mom gave in and stopped cooking to feed him. (He hasn’t lived it down since he told me that story.
)
I love the cheesy pockets in this beautiful soup!
Hello Lorraine!!
What a tasty & yummie looking soup!!
Lovely food! I so love roasted peppers!
There is never a thing as too much cheese…
Am going to make cheese pockets the next time I make soup.
I carry around pockets of beef jerky and my favourite tea. Yes, in different pockets of course! I’m a chef so I don’t want to be snacking all day on the wrong sort of food- even though it’s yummy- and the protein in jerky keeps me going.I am also very fussy about my tea, and like it to be fresh and not tainted with other flavours as can happen if other types get mixed together in the tin. The only problem is remembering to clean out my pockets before washing. It can get very messy otherwise.
I eat small meals throughout the day rather than 3 large meals and I hate getting caught out without food or food that I enjoy. I usually carry some form of fruit.. pear, apple, or some nuts. At work I always have cup-a-soups, nuts, various teas to keep blood sugar levels up
Lovely soup. I had recently tried carrot and ginger soup and loved it. Must try this
Thanks for the soup recipe. Looks yummy! I can’t wait to make some this weekend .. getting into soup weather.
I carry almonds. I once bought 1kg bag of almonds from Woolies just so I could have this cute little love heart tin to carry my snack allowance of almonds in. I had to throw away most of the almonds since they tend to go rancid quite quickly. But it was worth it.
Great soup weather! This looks like a delicious soup too!
I dont carry snacks, but I always have 2 pieces of fruit with me at work and a 3pm piece of chocolate!
sesame snacks, wallaby bars, rice crackers, bananas.
Thanks for the soup recipe Im going to make it this week.
That looks so tasty! def going to try this for dinner
I also prefer red peppers as well! This soup sounds wonderful, I love the idea of cheese pockets!
I am so with you on the bitter melon. Ugh! The entire rest of my family loves the stuff. Lord knows why. Me? I can’t take it whatsoever. It’s probably the one vegetable I truly shun.
I’m dreaming of a good bread roll with this soup now! mmm comfort food for winter
btw, I’ve awarded you the Sweet Blog Award, please drop by my blog to pick it up x
that looks yummy with surprises of cheese. I munch on anything. I will like to have char siew bao in my bag all the time.
This sounds robustly flavorful!
The colours!!!! They’re my most favourite autumn colours in the whole wide world! I am a sweet and sour kind of girl – I’d choose green mangoes over ripe ones, I eat bitter melon almost every week, and I snack on limes and lemon (with salt!) – yes, I’m weird like that. :/
HI!!
I cooked your Singapore Chilli Prawns for my seafood-fiend of a boyfriend last night and we both LOVED it! That one’s going into the weekly rotation! Thanks!!
Hi Celia-Isn’t it just! Brrr!
Hi Linda-That sounds very healthy and hehe yes you do have cheese pockets!
Yes that’s one of the best parts of Winter!
Hi Maria-Hehe yes one can get very upset when hungry-Iknow this from experience!
I think apples also give a satisfying crunch too 
Hi Christine-OH I think I’ve tried those and they were like little chips?
Hi Esz-I know, a stick blender is much easier!
Hi Farrah-thankyou!
Wow you’ve got it all sorted out! 
Hi Rosa-Thanks Rosa!
Hi Matilda-Hehe thankyou!
Yes I like a good cup of tea if I’m lagging!
Hi lisa-Thankyou! I think teh colour is also a bi warming too
Ahh yes the energy bars and apples are nice and hardy!
Hi Mark-Thank! Ahhh sounds like a nice memory!
Hi Fiona-Huh? What a strange thing to say
Hi Mokita-Thankyou! it’s just a little bit right? And there’s not much else in the rest of the soup apart from vegetables and stock!
Hi Elle-Thankyou! And it’s good for you too!
Hehe aww how cute! 
Hi elise -Fabulous! I hope you like it
And of course, nothing goes better with it than a lovely sourdough 
Hi Pam-Thankyou and I agree! I love looking forward to a nice hot bowl of soup
Water is a good idea actually, esp in Summer! Hehe thankyou so much! 
Hi Hannah-Oh no, that’s like everything here!
Absolutely!
Hi Phunk-Yep we keep getting peeks of cold weather but not that much.
Hi Sandy-Oh fantastic idea!
Hehe yes so true, large bags always get filled up 
Hi MrsDesperate-Hehe thankyou! You are so kind
Hehe all the best of us do I believe 
Hi Lisa -Hehe thanks so much!
Hi Alex-hehe cool!
HI Deanna-Aww thankyou!
Mmm I’ve heard those are great, another friend has an addiction to them! 
Hi Megan-Hehe I love your description of it-a handbag pantry!
Hehe you sound very organised! 
Hi Carolyn-Fantastic! I hope you like it!
Hi thecoffeesnob-Hehe thankyou!
I love a bit of decadence with a healty soup 
Ahh good thinking! 
Hi pigpigscorner-I wonder if many people buy them? Apart from pizza hut who use them on their pizzas?
Hi deana -Hehe you are too kind! Absolutely, this is for those who want a big warm hug
Hi grace-Haha you noticed that did you?
They are aren’t they-and as for orange or purple ones-eek!
Hi Anita-Thankyou so much!
I agree 
Hi kiska-Hehe yes you’re right I did thanks!:)
Hi Moya-Really? Trust me though, this is good!
Hi Sasa-I know, who doesn’t love melted cheese?
Absolutely, it’s a true fear!
Hi Faith-Hehe isn’t that funny!
What a great story! 
Hi Sophie-Thanks so much Sophie!
HI Su-yin-Great idea! It’s like French Onion soup really!
Hi reb-Wow, you are very organised and I like the sound of your favourite snacks! Hehe I can imagine!
Hi Brisbane Baker-Good idea, I should give that a go! Saves me diving into the cakes!
Ahh yes carrot and ginger is a lovely combo! 
Hi Ms Cupcake-You’re more than welcome! I hope you like ir!
Hehe sounds like a really cute tin! 
If you keep them in the fridge they last for a bit
longer
Hi Sarah-Thankyou so much! Hehe I like the idea of a 3pm piece of chocolate
Hi katrina-Oh I like all of those things! Crunchy things are great for snacks
Excellent!
Hi Teresa-Cool! I hope you like it!
Hi 5 Star Foodie-Isn’t that funny how most people do?Thankyou!
Hi Carolyn-Hehe really? I can’t eat it-but that stuff has got to be good for you right? Otherwise who would eat it!
Hi mashi-Absolutely great idea! And ooh thankyou so much! x
Hi penny-Hehe now wouldn’t that be the best?
Hi tigerfish-Thanks so much!
Hi Trisha-hehe fabulous! Aren’t they great shades?
Oh wow, you are what I’d call daring! 
Hi Genevieve-Ahh fantastic! I’m so glad that you loved them! YAY!
It’s soup season soon!
Oh delicious! These cheese pockets are almost as good as actual cheese pockets
I like to take apples with me, but I’ve also been known to throw down my bag, forgetting about poor mister apple, then have to eat it immediately before it goes horrendously bruised. I’ll never learn.
This looks delicious! I’ll try it when I can get good local peppers and carrots. I love the cheese pocket concept – YUM.
mmm – love roasted veg in soup – though cheese can be overwhelming but I think it would work with carrot and capsicum!
When you say you are not keen on fruit is that because you are suggesting it is bitter – I can understand it can be tart but I don’t think that is the same as bitter (disliking all things bitter myself) or maybe I misunderstood?????
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