Here’s a healthy recipe to warm you up while keeping the winter bugs away. Pumpkin is a good source of Vitamin A for healthy skin, eyes and respiratory system, while the garlic helps boost the immune system to help fight off colds. The herbs in this recipe add to the immune boosting benefits while giving this soup a different flavour from your average pumpkin soup. Cannellini beans are a great addition providing good sources of protein and iron, plus pureed up you can’t taste them. The beans give the soup extra creaminess and make the soup more filling so that it can serve as a main meal. This is definitely a soup you have to make this winter!
Winter Warmer Soup: Roasted Pumpkin, Garlic and Sage.
Preparation time: 5-10 minutes.
Serves: 6 people as entrée or about 4 people as main meal.
Ingredients
*2kg pumpkin (with skin on)
*4-6 cloves of garlic (more if they are small cloves)
*1 leek
*1 tsp Italian herb seasoning (or you could use a pinch of dried oregano, basil, sage, dill, rosemary etc)
*2 x 200g can cannellini beans
*4 cups water or vegetable stock
*1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves
*Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
1. Cut the pumpkin into halves or quarters and lightly brush with oil. Place them face down on a tray with the garlic cloves still in their cover under hollow of the pumpkin. Roast at around 200 degrees celsius until the pumpkin is soft, about 30-45 minutes. Check the garlic regularly as it may be done earlier.
2. When the pumpkin is done, let it cool while you finely chop the stalk of the leek.
3. In a large saucepan sauté the leek in a small amount of oil (we use coconut oil) and also add Italian herbs and salt. Cook gently for 2-4 minutes until leek softens.
4. Scrape the pumpkin away from the flesh and add to the saucepan.
5. Add 4 cups of water or vegetable stock and bring to a gentle boil. As this happens, mash/stir the pumpkin to get a smoother consistency.
6. Add the beans.
7. Simmer gently for 5-10 minutes to let flavours incorporate.
8. Let the soup cool slightly then either use an immersion blender or blend in small batches in a food processor. You can add more water if the soup is too thick – this may depend on what type of pumpkin you use. You can also leave part of the soup lumpy if you prefer more texture or blend until completely smooth.
9. Gently reheat if necessary, then turn off heat and stir through finely chopped fresh sage and cracked black pepper. Serve and enjoy.
LIKE if you are going to make this delicious soup recipe asap!!