Bike
When the weather turns chilly, there’s nothing I like more than snuggling up 
in front of a roaring fire, wrapped in a chunky jumper, enjoying a bowl of heart warming soup.
This recipe is quick and easy and can be adapted in so many ways. I add a tin of lentils to up the protein, but you can easily roast up some cubed sweet potatoe, suede or pumpkin to add a bit of interest. I dress with a dollop of yogurt and you can dust with additional cayenne pepper for an added kick!
Zingy Vegetable & Lentil Soup – Serves 4
1 onion sliced
2 gloves of garlic crushed
2 cms of fresh ginger chopped
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne
A good handful of fresh coriander chopped
2 carrots sliced
2 zuchini sliced
½ butternut squash chopped into cubes
1 tin of lentils, drained and washed throughly
1ltr of vegetable or chicken stock (from cubes is fine)
Salt and pepper to taste
Yogurt to serve
Fry the onion, garlic and ginger in a large pan. Once the onions have softened, add the coriander and all the vegetables and stir. Cover and allow to sweat until they start to soften (don’t allow them to burn or catch on the pan).
Add the stock and cover again to bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and allow to simmer for around 10 mins until all the vegetables have softened. Use either a hand blender or food processor to blend into a smooth soup. Return to the pan and add the lentils. Heat for a further 5 minutes until the lentils are heated rough.
Serve in bowls with a dollop for fresh yogurt, a few springs of fresh coriander and a dusting of cayenne pepper if you like it super spicey!
