Butternut Squash Soup

This healthy butternut squash soup is the perfect winter warmer.

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

1 red onion

1 medium sized carrot

2 cloves garlic

1 stick of celery

1 kg of butternut squash

2 tbsp of fresh sage

1 litre of vegetable stock

Salt

Pepper

Preparation time: 10 – 15 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Method

1. Begin by peeling and finely chopping the onion, carrot and garlic cloves, then trim and finely chop the celery.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat and add the onion, garlic, celery and the sage. Season with salt and pepper and allow to cook gently for 10-15 minutes, until the veg is soft.
3. While that’s cooking prepare the squash by deseeding it and chopping roughly. Alternatively, you could use prepared butternut squash for ease. Once the onion mix is soft, add the butternut squash to the pan and cook for a further few minutes. Be careful, though, you don’t want the veg to burn.
4. Add the stock to the pan, bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to low-medium and allow the soup to simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until the butternut squash is tender.
5. Once the squash is tender, turn the heat off and blend the soup with a stick blender until smooth or pour into a food processor. It should have a smooth puree consistency but if you prefer your soup chunkier then blend less.
6. Season to taste if you like. If you think the soup is too thick you can add more water to get the desired consistency. Transfer to your food pot for the perfect on-the-go meal.