WINTER WARMER

There’s nothing quite as comforting or warming as a delicious bowl of soup! This Moroccan Butternut and Red Lentil Soup with its combination of warming spices and a hint of chili, will become a winter favourite. I found it in the “Brookdale’s Heavenly and Healthy Flavours” book and my whole family loved it!

Ingredients:

1 red chili, deseeded and chopped (optional)

3 cups butternut, peeled and cubed

½ cup red split lentils, rinsed well

5 ripe tomatoes, skin removed and chopped

3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

5 cups vegetable stock

herb salt and ground black pepper

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp ginger, grated

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Heat a large saucepan with olive oil, sauté onion, garlic and ginger and then sprinkle in the spices. Sauté until the spices become fragrant. Add chilli, butternut, lentils, tomatoes, carrots and stock. Cook until vegetables are soft (about 40 minutes). Blend and season to taste. Serve hot, topped with chickpeas, crumbled feta and a drizzle of coriander pesto.

Serves 6