superfoods soup

Butternut squash, carrot and red lentil soup 

Clean Eating, Health, Recipes

This recipe came about when trying to think of what I could use up in the house before a holiday! It is hearty and warming with an earthy taste to it and very easy to make.

I like to leave it chunky but it makes a deliciously creamy soup if you allow it to cool and then whizz it up with the coconut yogurt.

Ingredients (to serve two):

  • I x third of a large butternut squash
  • 1 x red onion
  • 1 x garlic clove
  • Half a cup of red lentils
  • 2 x carrots
  • Half a yellow pepper
  • I x carton of organic chopped tomatoes
  • 1 x beef stock cube or go for a vegetable stock cube if you are vegan or veggie (I use Kallo stock cubes as they free from extra rubbish and are gluten and lactose free)
  • 1 x teaspoon of smoked paprika
  • 1 x teaspoon of turmeric
  • 1 x teaspoon of tandoori mixed spices or garam masala
  • 1 x dessert spoon of tomato purée
  • 1 x dessert spoon of apple cider vinegar (use the untreated version that is called ‘with the mother’ – I use Biona’s version)
  • 1 x dessert spoon of coconut oil
  • Black pepper
  • COYO natural coconut yoghurt to serve

Method:

Firstly, boil your kettle so that you have ready boiled water to add in later in the process. Then dice the garlic, onion, carrot, pepper and butternut squash (I cut the squash into about one centimetre cubed squares) and allow to sweat in the coconut oil on a low heat for around ten minutes with the saucepan lid on. This softens the veg and gets the flavours going. Keep checking it and stirring so the veg doesn’t catch.

Then add the lentils, the spices, the stock cube, the purée, the cider vinegar, a good few grinds of black pepper and the chopped tomatoes. Stir in and bring to the boil. Then turn the heat down, add around a pint of boiling water and allow to simmer for half an hour/40 minutes with the saucepan lid half on. Again, keep checking it to ensure it doesn’t catch and add more water if necessary, I normally need to add about half a pint more after around twenty minutes.

If you do prefer it smooth, allow to cool and then whizz up in a processor with around a tablespoon of the COYO yoghurt before transferring back to the pan and reheating.

If leaving chunky, serve immediately with a dollop of COYO dairy free coconut yoghurt and some smoked paprika to dust.

 

xx