Pumpkin, kumara and red lentil soup

I have to admit, I’m not the biggest fan of winter vegetables. Roast kumara and pumpkin has always been a big fat no from me. However, I LOVE this pumpkin soup! The hardest part is chopping and peeling the pumpkin for sure, but doing a big batch in the slow cooker then freezing it in meal sized portions to use over the winter is a definite hack we regularly use. Minimising the prep time and maximising the enjoyment for sure!

Pumpkins are a great source of beta carotene, a form of vitamin A which has been shown to help your eyesight and loads of other functions in the body. Pumpkins also contain vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, and folate, all of which strengthen your immune system. More pumpkin in your diet can help your immune cells work better to ward off germs and speed healing when you get a wound. Pumpkin is a great source of potassium, which we often don’t get enough of in today’s world. Potassium is essential for heart function, for cells to work correctly, and can lower your risk of stroke, kidney stones, and type 2 diabetes!

Ingredients

1/3 -1/2 grey pumpkin
1 sweet potato/kumara
2 medium potatoes
1-2 onions
4 garlic cloves
1 C red lentils
1 Tbsp ground cumin seeds
1 Tbsp ground coriander seeds
1 pinch mixed herbs
salt & pepper to taste

Method

Peel and deseed the pumpkin. Peel the kumara. Clean the potatoes
Cut all the vegetables and put into the slow cooker or pot. Add enough water to almost cover them all. Add the herbs, spices, some salt and pepper
Cook until the vegetables are soft (the smaller you cut them the quicker they will cook).
Blend the vegetables until the mixture is smooth either by using a stick blender or putting it into a blender. You may need to let it cool first.
Reheat if necessary. Taste and adjust the seasoning if you like.
Serve up while hot. Enjoy with some warm bread to dip in the soup.

This freezes well.