This soup is so tasty it doesn't need much extra seasoning. Ever tried cooing with beetroot? Try spicing it up! This soup is beautifully flavoured with ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon & paprika. Sweet beetroot, pumpkin, and red lentil soup – inspired by the culinary talents of my friend, yoga teacher, Madeline Ford!
Immune boosting with food!
Getting through the winter months, with a little extra care to including immune-boosting foods in your meals, can make all the difference to your health and happiness this time of year. Red and orange vegetables are particularly high in vitamin A, so look for new ways to include them in your recipes over winter.
Beetroot
Beetroot is a great source of vitamins A and C, and these brightly coloured vegetables are also full of antioxidants and are a source of iron. Iron stores are another factor that can affect the functioning of our immune system. Not getting enough iron in our diet can reduce our energy, stamina and general health and wellbeing.
Pumpkin
Pumpkin is another brightly coloured vegetable that is a great source of vitamin A and beta-carotene, those handy immune-boosting nutrients. Did you know, dried pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas) are a very rich source of zinc? Immune function and healing, not to mention almost every function in our body require zinc as a co-factor to get the job done.
Another batch of this wonderful soup is perfuming my kitchen today 🙂 If you have a few spare beetroot give it a go! Perhaps you could top it off with a few toasted pumpkin seeds to serve? For an extra crunch and a little boost of zinc.
Recipe and instructions
Take, 1 brown onion, finely diced, saute, add 2 teaspoons each of ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika and 4 tsp freshly grated ginger. Heat until you smell the aroma of the spices (the best part!). You might like more or fewer spices, so don't be afraid to experiment for yourself. Add about 1kg of diced pumpkin and 2 large beetroots, also diced. Coat vegetables in the spices. Add 1L vegetable stock & simmer 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of red lentils and 1 cup of your choice of quinoa (rinsed). Top up with another 1L of water. Simmer until lentils are cooked. Season as desired. Enjoy!
