Spiced Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 brown onion (medium)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger (or use the minced ginger in jar/tube)
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp ground coriander (optional)
  • 1kg butternut pumpkin
  • 3/4 cup red lentils (175g)
  • 5 cups vegetable stock
  • 1/2 cup greek yoghurt (optional - or coconut cream works well)
  • wholegrain toast (if specified in plan)

Method

  • Prep Ingredients: Dice the onion, crush the garlic and grate the ginger. Peel the pumpkin and then cut it into 2cm cubes. Rinse the lentils.
  • Heat a large saucepan/pot over medium-low heat. Heat the olive oil in the pan.
  • Add the onion and cook, for 5 minutes or until soft.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, curry powder and coriander to cook, stirring for 1 minute or until aromatic.
  • Add the pumpkin, lentils, and stock. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to low.
  • Simmer, partially covered, for 20-30 minutes or until the pumpkin and lentils are soft. Take off heat and set aside to cool slightly.
  • Using a stick mixer, puree the soup in the pot and then ladle soup into bowls and top with a dollop of yoghurt and seasoned with pepper.

If keeping the soup for weekday lunches, use a ladle to portion out soups into plastic containers and keep in the fridge until needed. Heat for 2-3 mins in the microwave when ready to eat and stir. Top with yoghurt and cracked pepper.