Do you sometimes feel like the day is slipping away, and before you know it, it’s nearly lunchtime?
That was me today!
My eldest daughter has just started distance education at home, so while she was logged onto her morning classes I decided I would use this time to be super productive.
As I had limited time, I had work out what was most important, which is a hard task for me because I want to do everything! Anyway, I managed to get my head down for several hours and had a very productive morning, planning and writing.
I looked up at the clock and realized it was nearly 12:30 and my daughter would be finishing her lessons in 30 mins. She is 12 and always hungry so I knew I would get no peace once she was finished, and looking for lunch. Plus I like to stop and chat and eat together, so I had to find something healthy and quick.
Now, in the Southern hemisphere it is winter and where I live in South East Queensland winters are very mild and only a few days ago I was wearing a t-shirt. So to wake up this morning to cold winds was a reminder that it was nearly the middle of August, and every year at this time we get a cold snap when the temperature drops and the westerly winds are cold. Not the kind of cold I felt when I lived in Ireland, no way, that was bone chilling stuff right there, brrrrr!!, but for here in Brisbane, it was a tad chilly.
Anyhoo, I decided something warm would be just what I needed, so I looked in my fridge and there looking back at me was a delicious organic pumpkin I had purchased on the weekend. Yes, that would make a lovely soup. I also have a Thermomix, so the soup was cooked and ready to eat within 30 minutes. (if you don’t know what a Thermomix is, just look it up on you tube. It is the best kitchen machine I have EVER owned, and I have had it for over 4 years.)
So back to the soup! I have a traditional method and also a Thermomix method for you. I want you to know that when it comes to making soup, the amounts do not have to be exact. I never usually measure, but today I did a rough measurement especially for YOU!
Enjoy!!
Ingredients
½ small Jap pumpkin or any pumpkin
2 large carrots
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
1 small sweet potato
1TBSP stock paste/ 1tsp salt
1 cup water or vegetable stock if you don’t have the paste
1TBSP tomato paste
1 heaped tsp of Thai red curry paste (additive and preservative free) depending on how spicy you want it
Method
Thermomix
Chop onion and garlic for 5 seconds speed 6
Add Thai red curry paste and oil/ghee and cook 2 mins, 100deg, speed 1
Scrape down bowl and add pumpkin, carrots, sweet potato and chop 5-6 seconds speed 6
Scrape down bowl and add all other ingredients
Cook on 100deg, 25 mins speed 1
Once cooked, slowly increase speed to speed 9 for approx.40 seconds
Serve with sour cream, homemade bread and (fresh chopped coriander if you have it.)
Traditional method
Chop all onions and garlic and saute in a pan with oil and Thai red curry paste
Chop pumpkin, carrots and sweet potato into chunks, then add to the pan.
Add all the other ingredients and cook for approx. 30 mins or until vegetables are soft. Using a stick blender, or other type of blender, whizz up until it is smooth. You can add more liquid if its too thick.
Serve with sour cream, homemade bread and (fresh chopped coriander if you have it.)
Variations:
You can use all carrot, or smaller amounts of pumpkin and sweet potato. You can also experiment with adding small quantities of other veges if you have them.
Health Tip
Pumpkins are rich in fibre, beta-carotene, antioxidants, and contain Vitamin C. Pumpkin seeds are so delicious toasted and a good source of fibre.