This is a soup for autumn days – a hearty, warming bowl of goodness. Even the colours are autumnal! The red lentils provide protein, which helps us feel fuller for longer and to stabilise blood sugar levels.
Ingredients:
- 1 small butternut squash
- 200g red lentils
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 1 tin coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- Good pinch of chilli flakes
Method:
Preheat your oven to 190° fan.
Peel your your butternut squash and cut it in half lengthways. Scoop out the seeds and then cut roughly into bitesize chunks. Place in a roasting tin, drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt, pepper and the spices. Toss to combine, and place in the oven. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring half way.
While the squash is in the oven, cook the lentils. Rinse well, then put in a pan with plenty of cold water, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for around 10-15 minutes, until tender but still with a bit of bite.
When the squash is tender, remove from the oven. Place in a blender with 500ml of stock, the tin of coconut milk and blitz. I like my soup a bit chunky, so I do a few pulses on the blender so it retains some texture.
Add the lentils into the squash mixture, and give it a good mix. Add some more salt and pepper if it needs it.
To serve: sprinkle over some seeds or crumble in some feta.
