Roasted Pumpkin and Parsnip Soup

Pumpkins and winter squashes never have been part of my diet until I became vegan. I don't remember exactly what my weird excuses for not eating pumpkin were. It had something to do with it's orange colour and with the fact that this was a vegetable, which some people would put into a cake. I thought pumpkins were really sweet and that I couldn't put anything sweet (sweet as in sugar sweet) into my soup. Meanwhile I found out that pumpkins not only taste good. They are super healthy as well. Pumpkins and other winter squashes are full of vitamin A and C, potassium, fibre, manganese, folate, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, copper, vitamin B6, niacin, pantothenic acid, and not to forget vitamin E. Since I know this I want to eat pumpkin all day.

Ingredients

600 g pumpkin, sliced
400 g parsnips, sliced
170g (2/3 cup) red lentils
one large sweet red pepper
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp. panch poran (equal parts of cumin, fenugreek, fennel, mustard and black onion seeds)
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
one medium onion, diced
1 Tbsp. ginger root, chopped
4 cups water
4 cups vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
black onion seeds and parsley leaves for decoration

Directions

Step 1

Place pumpkin slices, parsnip pieces slices, and pepper halves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast at 200°C /400°F for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. (The peppers and parsnips won't take as long as the pumpkin. You can remove them after 20-30 minutes.)

Step 2

In a large pot, heat the oil, cook the spices for two minutes, stirring constantly.

Step 3

Add onion and ginger, cook for two more minutes.

Step 4

Add four cups of water and lentils, cook for 10-15 minutes until lentils are soft.

Step 5

Add roasted vegetables, the four cups of broth and cook for ten more minutes.

Step 6

Purée with a hand held blender

Decorate with black fennel seed and parsley leaves, and serve immediately.

Vegan Peace