Butternut Squash Soup

In honour of National Vegetarian week, I thought that I would share one of my favourite vegetarian lunches - Butternut Squash Soup!

This is a recipe that I have adapted from Mary Berry's Christmas Celebrations book - not to say that I can improve on a recipe by Mary Berry, but I tend to use more carrots and less leeks due to personal preference!

This recipe makes four portions of soup, so I tend to have it for four out of five lunches for a week.

Cut two butternut squashes in half, rub a little bit of olive oil, ground cinnamon and ground ginger in, then cook them in the oven for 1 hour on 180C. Put about an inch of water into the pan to keep the butternut squash moist as it cooks.

Once this is in, chop up one onion, three medium carrots, and one leek. Heat up a glug of olive oil in a large saucepan, and briefly fry the onions before adding the carrots and leek. Top up with water to cover, then add a two vegetable stock cubes. Add some powdered ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, or an inch of root ginger if you have it. Let this gently simmer for 40 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

Once the butternut squash is cooked, let it and the pan of vegetables cool, then blitz in a food processor. I use my NutriBullet, and do it in four or five goes as its a bit smaller.

This reheats really well, and I usually take it into university in a travel container that keeps it warm. Top with pumpkin seeds for an extra crunch!