Butternut squash soup

Health benefits:

• Easy to digest & assimilate
• Helps soothes a bloated tummy
• High in Vitamin A 

Serves 4 

Preparation & cooking time 30 mins 

• 2 white onions peeled and chopped 
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme  
• 2 litres of water 
• 350g of butternut squash – cut into cube chunks / leave the skin on, it melts and adds flavour 
• 2 tbsp of olive or rapeseed oil 
• 2 good quality vegetable stock 
• 1 ½ tsp of ground cumin 
• Generous handful of pumpkin seeds 

Method 

• Heat up a heavy based cooking pot / large saucepan, add the oil and place the onions and fresh thyme into the pot. Keep stirring until the onions become soft (add a little bit of water if it starts to burn) 
• Add the cumin and stir it in with the onions.  
• Add the water, stock cubes, squash and bring to the boil; reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. 
• Heat up a frying pan then add the pumpkin seeds. Toast them until they lightly brown on each side / they should puff up slightly (2 to 3 mins in total / depending how hot your pan is) 
• Puree soup with a hand blender or puree in a food processor or liquidiser, then return to the cooking pot and reheat if necessary. Lightly season to taste 
• Serve with the toasted pumpkin seeds 
• Vegan
• Vegetarian
• Wheat free
• Gluten free
• Dairy free