Soup Season

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1kg pumpkin or squash (try kabocha), peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks
700ml vegetable stock or chicken stock
150ml double cream

For the croutons
2 tbsp olive oil
4 slices wholemeal seeded bread, crusts removed
handful pumpkin seeds

Benefits

• They’re rich in vitamin A, pumpkins also lower your risk for certain types of cancer, including prostate and lung cancer.
• Pumpkin soup is not only a wonderful option for anyone fighting indigestion and stomach infections.
• Pumpkin is rich in potassium, which research suggests may help decrease blood pressure. In addition, pumpkin contains antioxidants, like vitamin C, which help promote healthy skin.
• hey are rich in carotenoids, especially in lutein, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, along with other vitamins and minerals.
• It’s full of the antioxidants, Vitamin A and Vitamin C, that both help to soften and soothe dry skin.

Ingredients

125 grams butter
150 grams pancetta (or streaky bacon chopped)
1 carrot (peeled and chopped)
2 onions (finely chopped)
1 tin chestnuts (drained and rinsed – 750g tin)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (chopped)
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (for garnish)

Benefits

• Chestnuts are high in fiber, which offers various benefits for your health
• It aids digestion, nourishes your beneficial gut bacteria, aids in the production of short-chain fatty acids, and may help with weight management.
• Rosemary has significant antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, anti-tumorigenic, antinociceptive, and neuroprotective properties.
• Offering a good amount of dietary protein, pancetta is rich in B vitamins and minerals like phosphorus and selenium. It has lower fat contents than other bacon products.

Ingredients

2l vegetable or ham stock
150g red lentils
6 carrots, finely chopped
2 medium leeks, sliced (about 300g)
small handful of chopped parsley, to serve

Benefits

• Lentils have plenty of folate, iron and vitamin B1, which also support your heart health.
• Reduces risk of certain chronic diseases.
• Support the digestive system.
• Lentils are good for your bones. 
•  A ½ cup serving of cooked lentils provides about 12 grams of protein. With such high protein content, you are sure to be fuelled up all day long.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 large carrots, chopped
½ medium head cauliflower, chopped
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cinnamon
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
¼ cup 2% fat plain Greek yogurt, divided
¼ cup dry-roasted pumpkin seeds, divided
⅛ tsp salt
Black pepper to taste

Benefits

• high in vitamin C and a good source of folate.
• fat free and cholesterol free and also is low in sodium content.
• supports vision and eye health.
• Vitamin A also regenerates damaged collagen, keeping your skin looking youthful and fresh. 
• help protect your heart, skin, brain and immune system while reducing inflammation.
• Carrots are great sources of beta-carotene, which is a precursor to vitamin A and gives the vegetable its characteristic orange colour. 

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, sliced
750g tomatoes, chopped
2 roasted red peppers from a jar, drained and chopped
500ml vegetable stock
basil, a few leaves
crusty bread, to serve

Benefits

• Rich in vitamins C and A, which provide 20% of the daily recommended value of vitamins. 
• Improves bone and cardiovascular health and aid in weight loss.
• helps to control blood pressure, and keep it from getting ridiculously high or low.
• chases away free radicals that could cause cancer.
• A bowl of hot tomato soup may also soothe the throat and help clear out your airways.