Autumnal Warmers - Parsnip and Butternut Soup

This sweet, spicy (if you choose), filling and tasty soup, is great as a starter or snack. Full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants; yet decadently indulgent if you add plant based cream. Parsnips are high in potassium, a critical electrolyte for the body, allowing our muscle cells to contract, nerve fibres to fire and kidneys to filter blood. Also helps to normalise blood pressure. Butternut Squash adds in Vitamin A which is important for our immune systems, essential for vision and keeps our skin healthy. (Other foods high in Vitamin A include paprika, cayenne pepper, sweet potatoes and leafy greens). Oh and it also tastes really, really good (if you like parsnips and butternut squash)!

Serves 4

Ingredients

1tbsp Olive Oil

1 Medium Butternut Squash

2 Onions

1tbsp ground coriander

1tbsp fresh or dried coriander leaf

2 tsp ground cumin

(optional – 2tsp cayenne pepper for spiced version)

500g Parsnips, peeled & chopped

1 litre vegetable stock

Salt & Pepper

(optional) 150ml Vegan Elmlea Double cream (or equivalent – Coconut cream/Oatly Crème Fraiche would work well)

Garnish with a few extra drops of vegan double cream/Oatly crème fraiche, cayenne pepper (or paprika if you don’t like it hot) & fresh coriander (just a serving suggestion)

Preheat oven to 200⁰C/Gas Mark 6.

1) Cut the Butternut Squash in half lengthways, scoop out the seeds, place skin side down on tray and drizzle or spray with a little oil (no more than ½ tbsp.) Pop in the oven to bake for approximately 40mins, or until soft.

2) While the Squash is in the oven, heat the remainder of the oil in a large saucepan. Add chopped onions and cook gently until soft and glass-like.

3) Add ground coriander, coriander leaf and ground cumin (also the cayenne if you wish) and gently fry with the onions to release the flavours for approximately 30 seconds.

4) Add 750ml of the stock to deglaze pan and add in parsnips and simmer for approximately 20 minutes (or until parsnips are tender).

5) When Squash is cooked, remove from oven and leave until cool to handle (no burnt fingers please!). Scoop out the flesh, discarding the skin and add to a blender or the saucepan. Either blend in the saucepan or add parsnip mix to blender and combine until smooth. Add in plant-based cream here if you choose. Use the 250ml of stock to loosen the mix if too thick.

6) Re-heat mix gently before serving. Serve garnished with a drizzle of plant based cream (or or Oatly crème fraiche), with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and fresh coriander.

7) This freezes well, so can be made well in advance of dinner parties and defrosted and reheated before serving.

Nutrition Info per serving

(without any type of cream)

Calories – 265

Fat – 6.5g

Protein – 9g

Carbohydrate – 46.3g

Calorie Crunch (to burn off 1 serving)

(without cream - lower calorie)

Zumba/Dancing/Aerobics (high intensity) for 27 minutes

Jog @ 5mph for 30 minutes

Swimming at a moderate pace for 39 minutes

Cycling leisurely for 59 minutes

(with plant based cream)

Zumba/Dancing/Aerobics (high intensity) for 45 minutes

Jog @ 5mph for 49 minutes

Swimming at a moderate pace for 65 minutes

Cycling leisurely for 97 minutes