Homemade Butternut Soup - Paleo

Second to my favorite creamy chicken and mushroom soup, is butternut soup! 

I remember a time when my boss took me out for a quick lunch and he laughed because he thought I knew nothing about butternut soup, and that I ate nothing but curry all the time. Ha! needless to say, this was in the early 1990's and my boss being Afrikaans, was just starting to learn about Indian culture :-) First step out of Apartheid. 

Enough of the history lesson :-)

There are may ways in which I have attempted to make butternut soup, but I have finally settled with this version and I love it when it leans on the spicy side :-)


What you will need....

Ingredients
1 Large Onion chopped in chunks
600g diced butternut
2 small or 1 medium sweet potato(s)
2 small carrots or 1 large carrot
1 heaped teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon mixed curry powder
1 teaspoon Italian herbs (Robertsons)
1.5 liters of water
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Fresh parsley or coriander

Optional
1/2 can coconut cream or coconut milk

Method

1. Heat coconut oil in a saucepan, and brown chunks of onion on medium to high heat
2. Add garlic and spices and stir and then add butternut, carrots and sweet potato
3. Stir well until the spices are mixed well with the veg
4. Lower the heat and add salt to taste and then either cover the pot and allow to simmer on the stove or transfer to a slow cooker. 
5. After 15 minutes add the water and bring to a boil. 
6. Continue to cook for another 30 minutes to an hour, 
7. Turn of heat and allow to cool - (if you have a blender like mine that pops its lid when hot substances are liquidised) - Once cooled then liquidise.

Alternatively, use your stick blender and blend in the pot.

Taste and if it needs more salt, pepper or cinnamon, add accordingly. If it is too thick, add more water.

Optional
You can add if you like, half a can of coconut cream or coconut milk (Jemz or homemade) to the pot of soup, for additional creaminess, alternatively, just serve as is, with a dollop of coconut cream and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley or coriander for each serving.

Try this Seed Bread in a Mug to accompany your delicious soup :-) 

Spicy butternut soup cooking

Liquidised soup, served with a dollop of coconut cream

Less spicy version - 1 teaspoon curry powder instead of 1 tablespoon
and no paprika

For these chilly, cold winter days and evenings, nothing is more comforting than homemade soup!

Bon Appetite :-)