Clean and Delicious Soup

I love soup and can eat it all year round and have never really agreed with the idea that soup is a winter food. I was doing some revision for my law exam and felt like I was going to fall asleep with boredom. I needed some energy and to eat something that would help me concentrate so, using some bits I had around the kitchen, I whipped up this butternut squash soup and I was so pleased with the results. It looked fantastic as it was bright orange. It was tasty, healthy, zingy, fresh and so easy to make, it is definitely something I will be making again.

Summery Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

1 large or 2 small onions, chopped

3 garlic cloves

1 red chilli, sliced

1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped into cubes

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 tin coconut milk

600ml vegetable stock

Juice of half a lime

1 Handful of sage leaves, chopped

1 heaped tablespoon of good quality honey

Salt and Pepper

In a large saucepan, fry the onion in some olive oil, or coconut oil if you have it, until softened. 

Smash the garlic using the flat side of a knife and your palm or using jar then throw them in with the onion along with the chilli.

Add the butternut squash and carrot then sprinkle over the sage. Give it all stir.

Add the coconut milk and stock to the pan, bring to the boil and let it simmer for around 30 minutes.

Using a knife, test the squash and carrot to see if it is soft. If it is, add the juice of half a lime, the honey, salt and pepper. Stir it all together and then blend with a hand-blender or put it into a liquidizer. 

I like my soups thick and smooth, but if you want it a bit thinner you can add some more stock. 

I just served mine up in a bowl as I was starving so it didn't look fancy but if you were serving it, frying some sage leaves to put on top would give it a presentable finish. As people who may have read this blog before, I am not great at presentation but I am ALL about the flavour.

I needed some calming music while making this as I was feeling pretty stressed about my work. I've played the piano since I was 8 and have had the pleasure of playing and listening to so much wonderful classical music but Erik Satie's music is lovely and one of my favourites.