Pumpkin Soup with Kefir and Poppy Seeds
Whip up this simple and healthy seasonal pumpkin soup (or use squash) for the perfect autumnal bowl of comfort for lunch or as a light supper. Add a drizzle of kefir for a dose of healthy probiotic and a sprinkle of poppy seeds for a bit of crunch.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 white onions peeled, halved
- 700 g pumpkin or squash peeled, de-seeded and chopped into cubes
- 2 carrots peeled, chopped
- 1 stick celery washed
- 200 g/1 cup red lentils
- 1 x 400g tin tomatoes or tomato passata
- 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 200 ml kefir cultured milk drink or use natural yoghurt
- 1 tsp poppy seeds per bowl
Instructions
- Take a large 24cm pan or stock pot, add the olive oil and heat. Add the onions and fry until slightly softened and golden brown.
- Add the pumpkin, carrots and celery, stir well and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the red lentils, tomatoes/passata and stock to the pan. Ensure everything is covered with stock, if not, add a cupful more of water.
- Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 20 minutes until all the vegetables are soft (the carrots will take the longest to cook).
- Season well with sea salt and black pepper.
- Allow the soup to cool a little and then use a stick blender to blend the soup, or transfer into a jug blender (you may need to blend in two batches)
- Serve the soup with a drizzle of kefir and sprinkle over some poppy seeds, or other seeds of your choice.