Butternut and Red Lentil Soup

Butternut squash is rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals so it’s a good all-rounder to add to your diet (it’s also lovely roasted in small pieces and added to salads or quinoa dishes). to add some protein to a warming soup, use red lentil. Lentils are also a great source of iron and magnesium, which are essential minerals for energy. 

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons of olive oil 

1 onion, roughly chopped 

2 celery sticks, roughly chopped 

1 thumb size piece of ginger, finely chopped 

½ butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and roughly chopped 

½ cup dried red lentils 

1 fresh corn on the cob or ½ cup canned or frozen corn 

1 litre vegetable stock 

Salt and pepper 

Method: 

1. Rinse the lentils and leaves to soak in a bowl of cold water.  
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the onion, celery and ginger. Saute for 5 mins until the onions are soft and transparent.  
3. Add the butternut squash and saute for a further 5 minutes. Add the stock and gently simmer for 20 minutes until all the vegetables are soft and mushy. 
4. Add the corn and red lentils, cover the saucepan and simmer for a further 20 minutes.  
5. Remove from the heat, let the soup cool slightly and then blend. You can leave it a bit chunky if you want. Season to taste. 
6. Serve with some fresh bread for extra comfort! 

Recipe provided by energisebyemily.com