Harvest Abundance

Looking to make some delicious warming fall meals that support the body? For me, nothing comes close to squash soup. In past years one of my favourites was the superbly simple combination of roasted butternut squash blended with coconut milk and spices.

This fall, I took this simple delight and have boosted it up with lentils for additional protein to support your body! Whether you’re chopping wood, wandering through a forest, or working from home – this recipe will fuel up your physical energy so you can focus on your energy healing.

You can use red lentils or green lentils for this recipe. You don’t need to soak dry lentils before using them in a recipe. That said, soaking can enhance the rate of mineral absorption in the body and helps to break down the complex starch in lentils (making them easier to digest). So if you plan ahead, you can soak the lentils 4 hours or overnight prior to making this recipe!

If you’re in a hurry, you can bake the squash and potatoes at a higher heat, just ensure the oil you use can tolerate a higher temperature!

What you’ll need;

• 1 medium or large butternut squash
• 1 large potato
• 2 tbsp coconut oil (or neutral oil of choice)
• 1 medium white onion
• 4 cloves garlic (feel free to adjust per preferences)
• 1 knob of ginger (roughly equal amount to your garlic)
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 fresh serrano pepper or 1 tsp dried chilli (optional)
• 2 cups of preferred stock (veggie or chicken are my favourite)
• 1 cup of dry lentils (soaked if desired; see note)
• 1 can of coconut milk (400 ml or 14 oz)
• Salt & Pepper to Taste

How to make this soup!

1. Turn on your oven to 375 F
2. Chop your butternut squash and potatoes into cubes, toss with coconut oil and salt, and add to a pan. Pop it in the oven; we’ll return to it at step 11 when it smells delicious and is soft (in about 60-90 minutes).
3. Time for some prep!
   • Chop your onion and set aside
   • Make a paste from your garlic (4 cloves), ginger (equal amount to garlic), and serrano (if using fresh) using a mortar & pestle if you have one. Otherwise, mince finely and add to a small vessel.
   •  Measure out your spices (1 tbsp paprika, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, chilli if using dried) into another small vessel.
4. Add oil to a large pot over medium high heat and wait for it to shimmer.
5. Add your chopped onion and some salt and sauté until it begins to soften (~4 minutes).
6. Drop in the ginger/garlic/pepper paste and mix throughout the onions (~1 minute).
7. Add your lentils (1 cup) and stir.
8. With your broth ready beside you, add your spices and stir until fragrant and mixed throughout (~30 seconds) before adding quickly adding broth (2 cups) to avoid the spices burning. Then add the coconut milk (1 can) and stir.
9. Taste the soup, adding salt, pepper, and other spices per your taste preferences. If it tastes bland, add more salt!
10. Bring soup to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and allow soup to simmer until lentils soften (~20 mins if cooking from dry, faster if soaked).
11. When the vegetables from the oven are soft, remove from the oven and add to the soup pot.
12. Taste the soup, and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
13. If you prefer a more blended texture, use a potato masher or an immersion blender to break up any chunks in the soup.
14. Serve!

I suggest a garnish of some citrus or yoghurt for acidity.

Alternatively, or in addition to that, you can add some cilantro or arugula fresh on top for a bit of greenery!