Right around mid-September and until late November, when Christmas starts coming into mind, soup becomes my favourite food. Especially homemade soup; thick and rich, full of flavourful spices, lots of roasted veggies and super creamy. That's how I like my soups and this one from our friend Sophie of Wholehearted eats is perfectly soul warming and hits just the spot for nourishing homemade soup.
Squash contains generous servings of vitamin A and C, as well as a variety of minerals. Yams and carrots are also packed with Vitamin C, perfect for fighting cold an flu season, and they carry a healthy amount of fiber and potassium as well. These veggies paired with the spices Sophie has included is the makings of a perfectly nourishing and delicious soup for the chillier, flu-fighting weather.
Recipe & Ingredients:
For the Roasted Veggies:
- 5 Cups Cubed mixed Squash
- 2 Cups Cubed Yam
- 1 Cup Chopped Carrot
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. Coconut or Avocado Oil
- 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Coriander
For the Soup Base:
- 1 Onion Chopped
- 4-6 Cloves of Garlic (depending on their size and your taste)
- 1 Thumb Sized Piece (1 inch) of Ginger, grated
- 1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp. Ground Coriander
- 1 tsp. Turmeric
- 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. Smoked Paprika
- Pinch Chili Flakes
- 1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil or Avocado Oil
- 4 Cups Veggie Stock
- 1/2 Cup Coconut milk
- Lemon
Garnish:
- Lemon Slices
- Chili Flakes
- Cilantro
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Sliced Chili
1. Heat oven to 205 C (400 F). Toss the Roasted Veggie Mix together in a big bowl and then lay onto a tray. Roast for about 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the veggie are golden and tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the 1 Tbsp. oil along with the chopped onion and garlic. Once the onions are getting translucent, add the spices, and cook on low heat for another couple of minutes. Add the stock and roasted veggies. Let simmer for 30 minutes, or until the flavours have come together. Next, stir in the coconut milk. Puree using an emersion blender, or a blender (in small batches, please!) until smooth. Squeeze a little bit of lemon or lime juice in at the end, and salt to taste.
3. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and chili.
Sophie MacKenzie is a whole-food blogger who's work has been featured on The Feed Feed, Food52, Urban Outfitters and the Huffington Post. She has previously worked in New York as a food stylist, and currently is a regular contributor to the up-incoming food site Nom.
