Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup with Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Doctor and nutritionist Dr Michelle Braude shares a healthy meal packed full of autumnal flavours. This vibrant soup is jam packed with goodness. The pumpkin seed topping adds a great source of plant based protein, and also make a delicious snack on their own.

 

Ingredients:

Serves 8Soup

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large white onion, diced

• 2 green apples, peeled and chopped

• 1 tsp xylitol sugar alternative (available in stores as Total Sweet)

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp ground ginger

• ¼ tsp chilli powder

• 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt

• 2kg butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and cut into cubes

• 2 litres of vegetable stock (made from vegetable stock powder)

• Generous pinch of salt and black pepper

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds:

• 140g pumpkin seeds

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp chilli powder

Method:

Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium heat.  Add the chopped onion, apple, cinnamon, ginger, chilli powder and salt.  Cook, whilst stirring occasionally, for around 5 minutes.  Add the butternut squash to the pot, and stir to coat for another 5 minutes.  Add the stock, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, with the pot covered, for around 40-50 minutes, until the squash is soft.  Allow the soup to cool and blend in a blender or with a hand-held immersion blender until completely smooth.To make the spiced pumpkin seeds – combine the oil, cinnamon, chilli powder, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.  Add the pumpkin seeds and stir to coat.  Heat a pan over a medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds, and allow to toast in the pan, whilst stirring to ensure they don’t burn, for around 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool fully. Serve the soup heated, with a generous sprinkling of spiced pumpkin seeds on top.