Im here now though!! So I thought I'd kick off with a bit of a healthy post for the new year.
My housemate got all sicky the other week and was snuffling away on the sofa, so in order to boost her back up and at the same time make a great lunch for us all, I whipped up this little wonder.
Making soup is soooooooo easy and cheap. Plus if you make extras it will keep for at least a week in the fridge (this is tried and tested and I'm not dead or ill)
I've used this recipe before at canapé parties but served it in an expresso cup. Its the perfect little warming shot for all those guests coming into your house from the freezing cold. It is also the most fantastic colour as well which is always important as its appealing to the eye.
So let me introduce you to Butternut Squash and Ginger soup. The sort of soup that gives you a big hug which is great for making you feel better. Perfect for our loveable little weirdo Arione, who doesn't actually accept human hugs....
You will need:
600g of Butternut Squash
1 large white Onion
2 Garlic Cloves
40g of Fresh Ginger
1lt of Vegetable Stock
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Thats really all there is to it. Hardly any ingredients and half of this squash was 600g so that meant we had left overs for another meal, or I could have made more soup!
Pop the kettle on to make up your stock.
Start by peeling your squash then scooping out all the seeds. The chop it into small but equal sized chunks.
Dice the onion and the garlic.
Heat some oil in a pan and sweat off the onions and garlic but make sure they don't catch. You don't want them to discolour the soup. Add some salt at this stage and that will make the onions release more water and therefore help them to stop browning and just soften instead.
After the onions are nice and soft grate your peeled ginger on to them. Grating the ginger means more flavour is release and by adding them to the hot onions it brings out the flavour. Make sure this cooks for a while so the flavour can intensify.
Now throw in the squash and cover with the stock. Bring this to the boil and then turn down to a gentle simmer.
Now all you have to do is wait until the squash is cooked!
So the reason this soup is so good for sickness is the properties of the ginger in it. Ginger is really good for boosting your immune system. So whilst you wait for the squash to cook feed your snuffling housemate, or even indeed, yourself some more ginger in the form of some tea.
Our choice of weapon in the face of Arione's snot was... Honey Lemon and Ginger tea.
Chop some ginger, use a couple of slices of lemon and a squeeze of honey. Add boiling water and stir.
Check on your squash, if its ready then its almost time to eat.
Bring out your next weapon. The hand blender.
Now blend until totally smooth and make sure you add plenty of salt and pepper. Don't be scared of salt! As soon as its to a constancy your happy with, I like mine really smooth, then your soup is ready.
Dish it out!
I had some cream in the fridge, and you all know my feelings on cream so I couldn't resist adding some. However if you feel like keeping the calories down then don't add any, it doesn't need it at all.
Take out to your awaiting (and throughly spoilt) housemates.
