Indian Root Vegetable Soup
Root vegetables are great dietary food. Not only are they delicious on their own or as additions to recipes, they are full of vitamins and minerals essential for the body’s daily functions. Carrots have betacarotene, which is an antioxidant, while parsnips are high in fiber. It’s no wonder that root vegetables are commonly used to make heart healthy soups.
Ingredients
- Mixed vegetables (carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes) – 200 g, chopped
- Sunflower oil
- Red onions – 2, roughly chopped
- Garlic cloves – 4, with 2 peeled and mashed and 2 chopped
- Fresh ginger – 4 cm, peeled and mashed
- Cayenne pepper – optional
- Ground coriander seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Garam masala – 1 teaspoon
- Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Creamed coconut – 200 g block, grated
- Butter – 100 g
- Fresh coriander – a handful, finely chopped
- Vegetable or Chicken stock – 1l
- Naan breads, to serve
Method
- Heat 5 tablespoons of the sunflower oil in a pan.
- Fry the onions, garlic paste and ginger paste for 4 – 7 minutes.
- Add a pinch of the cayenne pepper if you’d like to make your soup spicy.
- Ground coriander and garam masala.
- Cook for 2 -3 minutes to roast the spices.
- Add the chopped veg, and fry for 2 more minutes.
- Add enough chicken or vegetable stock to cover the ingredients.
- Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
- Remove from fire and blend with a hand blender or food processor.
- Heat the remaining sunflower oil in a separate pan.
- Fry the mustard seeds and cumin seeds until they pop.
- Add them to the soup, with the grated creamed coconut until melted.
- Melt the butter in a small pan.
- Add the chopped garlic and some of the chopped coriander leaves.
- Heat a griddle pan until smoking and place the naan breads in.
- Brush the naan with the melted butter mixture on both sides.
- Leave the bread to brown.
- Serve the soup with the remaining chopped coriander and the naan breads.
Parmesan and Butternut Squash Soup
The butternut squash is considered the fall-harvest “power food,” even more than the traditional zucchini. It adds body and a unique taste when added to soup recipes. With its brilliant color and succulent flavor, the butternut squash is one of the best vegetables for soups and pies. They contain antioxidants that help flush out unwanted toxins in the body, and are also low in fat but high in dietary fiber. Its notable color indicates the presence of carotenoids, which protect against heart diseases. A butternut squash is sure to be a great addition to any meal, to both warm the stomach and keep a healthy diet in check.
Ingredients
- Parmesan – 150 g
- Large onion – 1, finely chopped
- Medium butternut squash – 1, peeled, deseeded, chopped into chunks
- Butter – 25 g
- Hot vegetable stock – 1l
- Milk – 150 ml
- Baguette – 4-6 slices
- Fresh, chopped parsley or thyme, to garnish
Method
- Take the rind from the parmesan (if available) and cut it into chunks.
- Grate the cheese finely.Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
- Fry the onions for 3 minutes, until clear and softened.
- Add the butternut squash, vegetable stock and parmesan rind.Simmer the combined stock, then turn the heat to low for about 15 minutes.
- Keep the pan partially covered.
- Remove the rind from the mixture with a draining spoon.
- Add the majority of the grated cheese, leaving a small part aside for the toasted baguette.
- Process the soup using a hand-blender or worktop blender.
- Blend the soup until smooth.
- Return the soup to the pan and add the milk.
- Stir thoroughly and reheat until hot.
- Toast the slices of baguette and sprinkle the remaining cheese.
- Grill the bread until the cheese melts.
- Serve the soup garnished with the chopped parsley or thyme, topped with the bread.
This is a guest post by HealthySoupRecipe.com. A website where you can find many healthy and delicious soup recipes, as well as articles on exercise, nutrition and weight loss.
