SEASONAL VEGETABLES:
Brussels sprouts, pumpkin, broccoli, squash, sweet potatoes, spinach
SEASONAL HERBS:
Thyme, sage, parsley, chives
SWEET POTATO SOUP
SERVES FOUR
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5 cm/1 in cubes
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- 1 red chili pepper, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 4 roughly chopped carrots
- 400 ml/14 fl oz/1½ cups coconut milk
- 1 liter/34 fl oz/4 cups vegetable broth
- A handful of freshly chopped coriander
- Salt and black pepper to taste
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with oil, and roast in the oven for 15 minutes, until they soften and lightly brown.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the coconut oil and sauté the onion until it begins to brown.
Add the chili pepper, garlic, and ginger, and sauté for 3 minutes.
Add the carrots and sauté for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour in the coconut milk and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the roasted sweet potatoes to the skillet along with the chopped coriander and season to taste. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
Let the soup cool slightly before transferring it to a blender. Blend until smooth, or leave it a bit chunky if preferred. Then return it to the pot to reheat.
Bring the soup back to a boil to reduce and thicken to your liking. Season to taste.
ROSEHIP TEA
From late summer to autumn, you can look for and harvest hawthorn berries, which can be found abundantly in hedgerows and forests. You can dry them to make herbal tea. They are rich in vitamin C and have traditionally been used to relieve headaches, sore throats, and anxiety. Alternatively, you can purchase dried hawthorn tea with loose leaves from most health food stores.
