Healthy and scrumptious eating for autumn

This time last year I had let up on my healthy eating regime, and, of course, I put on weight. Not immediately. I was still exercising: walking, swimming, running on the spot and doing steps up. But I relented a little on my hitherto strict carbohydrate intake. The introduction of one potato, for instance, or a slice of bread, a biscuit or three or, of course, cake, put on the pounds.

In order to up my calorie intake for winter - we need it as temperatures drop - without growing to look like a pumpkin I have found a use for spicy squash, mustard and other ‘hot’ ingredients.

A good friend of ours brought two squashes to us. She had grown them on her allotment. One was flat and light in colour and weight. The other was as tough as a leather football. 

That weekend I was baking biscuits for a craft fair and, as the oven was on, I placed the smaller squash at the bottom of the oven. After an hour of biscuit-baking I removed the squash too. Because its thick outer skin was now much softer I could get a knife into it easily. I removed the skin, sliced the flesh into wedges and removed the seeds.

I chopped the flesh roughly, parboiled it and put it in the fridge, covered until I was ready to make it into soup. The flesh was pale but, mixed with carrots, it was looking like a healthy, free, filling lunch. 

The quantities of ingredients I used are for six servings but if you only want to make a small batch my suggestions for cooking-for-three are shown in brackets. I don’t add salt, out of choice.

Squash and carrot soup: 

FOR 6 (3)

2 onions chopped (1)

1tbsp olive oil

1 squash, peeled and diced

4 carrots, peeled and sliced (2)

2 sprigs fresh thyme or basil leaves only (1)

Salt ( if desired) and black pepper

1.5 litres hot vegetable stock (750 ml)

Parsley for garnishing

Crème fraiche for garnishing

The method is a standard soup-making affair. I use a large double-handled, non-stick, iron-bottomed casserole which acts as a deep frying pan or wide saucepan. And I make soup on the induction hob:

In a large flame-proof pan fry the onion, over a medium heat, in oil, until soft. Add the roughly-diced squash and sliced carrots and stir. Cook them for a further 5 minutes, watching that the onions don’t get too brown and overcooked. Add the herbs and season well with freshly-ground black pepper. Pour over the stock and bring the whole to the boil. 

When the soup is bubbling away turn the heat to low. Allow it to simmer gently for 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are cooked through and soft.

If you are using it straight away pour the contents into a food processor, blend for 30 seconds until smooth, garnish with creme fraiche or thick Greek Fage yogurt and parsley.

If you don’t want to eat it immediately allow the soup to cool, blend it in the food processor and pour it into a sealed container for chilling in the fridge or freezing.

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Next time I will write about a richer recipe for a lovely soup made from squash with orange flesh. It tastes superb with a little added ginger.

We’ll get through autumn in style!