Get a Boost with Butternut Squash Soup

Our immune systems take a bit of a hit at this time of year, with cold days, a lack of sunlight and lots of coughs and colds in circulation.  This delicious, warming soup is full of nutritious goodness and can help to give our systems a little boost.  This recipe was given to me by one of my lovely acupuncture clients from Wigan, and was posted by Zita West on her Facebook page.  I hope you enjoy it.

You will need
– 1 red onion, cut into wedges
– 3 garlic cloves, peeled
– 1cm/1⁄2in piece of root ginger, peeled
– 1 butternut squash, about 750g/1lb 10oz, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
– 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
– 60ml/2fl oz/1⁄4 cup olive oil
– 1 tsp ground cinnamon
– 700ml/24fl oz/scant 3 cups hot vegetable stock

HEMP PESTO
– 60g/21⁄4oz/2⁄3 cup shelled hemp seeds
– 2 garlic cloves, crushed
– 1⁄2 tsp sea salt
– 1 large handful of basil leaves
– 3 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
– 2 tbsp lemon juice
– 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
– 2 tbsp hemp seed oil
– ground black pepper

METHOD:
1. To make the hemp pesto, put the hemp seeds in a food processor and process until fine. Add the remaining ingredients and process again to form a thick paste. Store in the fridge until required.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Put the onion, garlic cloves, ginger, butternut squash and sweet potato in a roasting tin. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the cinnamon. Roast for 40 minutes, or until tender.
3. Put the roasted vegetables and vegetable stock in a blender or food processor and process until smooth – you may have to do this in two batches. Transfer to a saucepan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Warm in the pan for a couple of minutes, then ladle into bowls and serve with a dollop of hemp pesto.

Charlotte Green provides acupuncture to clients from throughout Lancashire and beyond. Patients travel from Preston, Chorley, Leyland, Blackburn, Darwen, Burnley, Blackpool, Lancaster and from throughout the north west.  Contact her on 07866 418564 if you would like more details.