Another great soup for these crisp winter days. I have to say I do use a lot of coconut milk at the moment but it adds such a lovely creaminess and flavour that I can’t resist it.  This is economical and will last about 4 days in the fridge. This is delicious served with some black olives on the side and a toasted slice of sourdough. 🙂 I now have a brilliant pressure cooker which does the whole thing in 10 minutes but have given you the traditional saucepan recipe. Butternut squash is a great source of fibre and vitamins, coconut milk reduces blood pressure and cholesterol and improves digestion – so don’t take my word for it – make this and see how you feel after!

Ingredients
2 x tbsp olive oil
1 x onion finely chopped
1 x medium butternut squash (peeled, de-seeded and chopped into cubes)
2 x cm of fresh ginger – grated
2 x cloves of garlic – grated
1 x red chilli – chopped
2 x tsp ground cumin
300 ml of vegetable stock
400ml tin of coconut milk
1 x tsp black pepper
1 x tsp sea salt (more if needed but don’t add until you have tasted)
1 x sml lemon -juiced

Method
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and add in the chopped onion and chopped butternut squash and gently saute for about 4 minutes.
Now add in the garlic, ginger, red chilli and cumin and saute for another 5 minutes.
Once the onions have started to soften add in the hot vegetable stock, coconut milk and juice of a small lemon. Season with salt & pepper and taste before allowing to simmer.
Put the lid on and let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes. If you are not blending the soup then you want the squash to retain a little bit of bite – so check after 30 miutes.
Turn off the heat and allow it to stand for about 10 minutes with the lid off to cool down. Now, get your hand blender and blend to a lovely, smooth consistency. Check the seasoning and add salt if needed. 
And that’s how easy it is! 
Pour into a bowl and serve with some warm bread and black olives. Bon appetite!