BUTTERNUTSQUASH AND GINGER SOUP

What better way to end a long rainy day with a piping hot, tasty and zingy soup?!

This recipe uses five ingredients: Butternut squash, swede, ginger, rosemary and water. I absolutely love ginger and think its flavour really complements butternut squash, as does rosemary. Other reasons for adding ginger as a frequent ingredient are its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects as well as its gastrointestinal effects (alleviating gastrointestinal distress).

To review the great properties of butternut squash and why it should be a frequent part of your diet read my previous post The Wonders of Butternut Squash. When I use butternut squash in soup I usually peel it and use the skin to make ‘crisps’ and serve them as an accompaniment.

INGREDIENTS:

750ml boiling water*

~250g butternut squash

~150g swede**

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp ginger

Rosemary (fresh or dry)

Pepper

* When I make soups for time purposes I don’t always make my own soup stock, so instead of using shop bought ones which are packed with salt I just use water and add extra herbs.

** Swede and courgette are great alternative thickening ingredients to potatoes as they are much lower in calories.

METHOD

1. Peel the onion, garlic, ginger butternut squash and swede.
2. Finely chop the garlic, ginger and onions and slice the butternut squash and swede into cubes.
3. Add the onion, garlic and ginger to a pan with 1tsp of olive oil and 1tsp of water and sweat until the onion starts to become translucent.
4. Add the butternut squash, swede, rosemary and pepper and stir.
5. Add the water and leave to simmer for approximately 20mins.
6. Whilst the soup is simmering coast the butternut squash skin with1/2 tsp of olive oil and rosemary.
7. Place on a baking tray along with the butternut squash seeds and roast at 180C for approximately 20 mins.
8. Once cooked, blend the soup into a smooth consistency.
9. Serve with the seeds sprinkled on top and accompanied by the butternut squash crisps.

Tip: as this recipe uses swede instead of potato you could always accompany it with some fresh wholemeal bread.

*Bon appetite* J