Healthy Eating: Food and Health with Healthy Eating Recipes by Lucy Hyland at Food For Living

Wednesday 24th November

Check out my article today on www.localmarkets.ie for the following article:

We are really in the thick of winter and soup season is in full swing!!

I got spaghetti squash in my veggie box the other day and found it lovely. To be honest, it looks just like any other squash but is more rounded.

Winter squash is generally what we are seeing in the markets at the moment. Winter squashes are an amazing source of Vitamin A which is great for the immune system and for your vision, as well as a good source of Vitamin C (again, keep that immune system working), potassium and fibre.

Interestingly squash comtains that highest vegetable amount of Omega 3 anti-inflammatory oils of any vegetable with a cup of them containing about 15% of the recommended daily amounts.

Generally, I feel them with a good quality peeler, chopped them into cubes and either roast them or throw them into a stew or soup.

Spaghetti Squash soup

2 onion (chopped)
4 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1 large spaghetti squash (or a large normal butter nut will do) – peeled, deseeded and chopped into cubes
2 tins of butter beans
1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
1.5 litres of homemade veggie stock or boiling water
1/2 inch ginger
Sea salt and black pepper

Warm the seeds (fennel, coriander and cumin) in a dry pan for a few minutes and then grind them in a spice grinder (I simply use a coffee grinder).
Saute the onions in a little water for about 10 mins. Then add all of the spices, ginger and garlic and give a good stir. Add in the squash and stir well, adding the boiling water or stock. Season with a little salt and pepper. Bring to boil and then simmer for about 20-30 mins or until soft.
Add the butterbeans and bring back to a simmer. Blitz in a food processor or with a hand blender.

Wheat free, dairy free, sugar free and dairy free