The Trouble With Fresh Veg...

Is you have to eat it. I buy so much as we eat it with nearly every meal, but if I have a rough few days then that veg pile stays larger than I like it. Then it gets a little old, still usable but you have to be a little more imaginative. 

I am about to share with you one of my most favourite soups that is sooo good for you and great for the old diet and will use a lot of those older veggies. It is a simple and adaptable recipe. Full of flavour and a lovely full texture.

Spicy Butternut Squash soup.

Now I know we are a little way past pumpkin season but supermarkets still have them in and it is still so cold that hearty soups like this are needed to warm the soul.

Ingredients:

1 Large/2 medium butternut squash

3 Large/6small potatoes(white)

1 medium/large sweet potato

2 large carrots

1 Large onion

4-6 cloves garlic

1 heaped tbsp Mild/hot madras/curry powder(adapt to taste)

4 chicken stock cubes

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Teaspoon mixed herbs

Now I have added suede, cabbage, parsnips etc to the above and it always tastes great. I think it is all the sweetness and the spice that just make it.

See? All still more than edible but lost their prettiness.

 

Step 1: Roughly chop the onion and place in a LARGE pot on a hob and drizzle a little olive oil over them. Turn the hob to medium heat and stir. This is to soften the onions, do not leave to crisp.

Step 2: Peel and chop all the other veg. A tip for the butternut squash. Slice in half, the half with the seeds, find a knife with a blade a little bigger than it. Cut ROUND the seeds rather than trying to scoop them out and getting all messy.

Nom Nom. This bowl is full to the top with all the chopped veggies.

Crush the garlic on top of the veg.

Step 3: Boil a kettle full of water

Step 4: Pour all the veg into the pot. Add the herbs, stock cubes, curry powder and salt and pepper. Cover with the lot with the hot water. 

Step 5: Stir well and turn heat to high and bring to the boil. Once it is boiling turn hob down and leave to simmer until the veg is tender.(I have left it for a couple of hours and it tastes awesome)

Leave to cool for around 20 mins then blitz(I use a hand blender)

 TA DAHHHHH...

So Yummy.

Isn't that simple? And so hearty! 

It is great with crusty bread, but I didn't have any so I went with my second favourite, toast!

And what's this??? No your eyes do not deceive you, no, this isn't a photo that has made it's way onto the wrong post, it is a picture of chicken curry and rice.

This soup has such great flavour that with a little more spice added it makes a GREAT curry sauce!

This is a firm favourite in our house and it is made better by being cheap, healthy and adaptable.

It is important that food we prepare is family friendly, tasty and inexpensive. We don't have a lot of money so anything we can freeze or use for multiple meals is a definite win!

Hope you have a go and I am always on the look out for family friendly recipes so don't be shy ;)

Happy Sunday x