SEASONAL SQUASH SOUP, CASHEW + PUMPKIN SEED PESTO - AYURVEDIC

Serves 7 / 8

Ingredients for soup:

1 medium sized local squash (or 2 small)

4 carrots

4 celery sticks

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp cumin seed

2tsp tumeric

2tsp salt

1tsp pepper

1tsp cider vinegar

I love to make this soup in season as Autumn approaches and theres lots of lovely squashes to choose from. Outside of season you can use a butternut squash instead. You can try this with different squashes or a mix of two and enjoy the different results!

This soup is VERY simple, it was created for an Ayurvedic retreat, omitting pungent flavours such as onion + garlic, and replacing them with flavours that offer more grounding qualities.

Chop celery, add to a pan with the coconut oil and soften for a few minutes, add the cumin seeds for 1 minute until they start to sizzle then add the carrots for another 2 minutes.

Dice the squash into rough 2cm cubes, add to the pan then cover with hot water and bring to the boil until all veg has softened and cooked through. Turn off the heat, add tumeric, salt, pepper and cider vinegar as per the quantities above then whizz up with a hand blender* Please note here it’s advisable to leave the soup to cool for a few minutes before whizzing up a boiling hot mixture.

Once blended to a thick soupy consistency, here you can taste (make sure not boiling hot), and more salt / pepper / cider vinegar to bring out the flavours to your desired taste. Add them slowly as it can change quickly!

Garnish soup with a spoonful of pesto and some toasted coconut seeds (optional). I like to add texture into my soups this way, then mix in as you eat or use to serve on a chunky slice of homemade bread for dipping.

NB: Adding the pesto below to the soup will include all of your 6 tastes for an Ayurvedic meal.

BASIL, GINGER, CASHEW AND PUMPKIN SEED PESTO

Makes a small tub - enough for 8 soups

Ingredients for pesto:

10tbsp pumpkin seed

small handful of cashews

30g ginger (grated)

juice 1/2 small lemon

20g basil

pinch salt

Add all ingredients to a small blender with chopping attachment and whizz up until a thick smooth paste - you may well need to add water very slowly to help it mix and find the desired texture.