Red and Orange Super Healthy Soup

Beetroot and Butternut Squash Soup

BeetSoup-CremeFraiche

Here’s a comforting and colourful winter soup to warm you up and provide you with heaps of nutrients.   Soups are great in January as they can give an overtaxed digestive system a bit of a breather! 

  • ½ medium butternut squash

  • 4 medium beetroots

  • 1 cinnamon stick

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)

  • 1 red onion, chopped

  • 500 ml chicken stock (or turkey if you have some after Christmas!)

  • 1 tsp nutmeg

Peel and cut up the beetroot and butternut squash into bite size pieces.

Saute the chopped onion in the oil on a medium heat until it becomes translucent.

Add the butternut squash, beetroot, nutmeg and cinnamon to the pan. Saute all the veg for 5-10 minutes.

Add the stock and bring it to the boil, then remove from the heat and blend the mixture with a hand blender or processor until the soup is smooth.

Return the mixture to a medium heat and cook for another 10 minutes, then serve hot.

Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Nutritional Information

Butternut Squash is rich in beta-carotene to help fight the oodles of viruses around at this time of year.

Beetroots are rich in folic acid, magnesium and potassium and great for the liver.   Buy whole and use the leaves too, very rich in iron.

Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties and is great for balancing blood sugars.

Coconut oil is a must in any kitchen. It’s rich in lauric acid to help fight viruses and contains medium chain fatty acids that your body likes to burn and so can assist weight loss.

Onions are high is sulphur and therefore great for the liver. They are also valuable antioxidants.

Good chicken stock from bones contains a host of health benefits too.

RecipesThe Edinburgh Clinic of Nutrition