Spice Up Your Dinner!

If you are looking for an easy and delicious dinner idea but want something a bit different for the family or a great entertainer to please your guests every time over the cooler months, then you will love this spicy soup recipe! 

There is nothing like a nice hot pumpkin and carrot soup to delight the senses and warm up the body on a cold Winter's night. Especially when you add delicious aromatic herbs to the mix such as cinnamon stick and star anise. Mmmmmm

Amazing Health Benefits of Pumpkin: A Powerhouse of Nutrients!

Pumpkin contains a powerhouse of nutrients and therefore is an important addition to a healthy diet. Rich in beta-carotene, shown to be protective against developing certain cancers, loaded with potassium for reduced risk of hypertension, zinc for a much-needed immune boost and high in fibre to help prevent cancer, heart disease and other serious ailments.

If that wasn't enough, these orange beauties are the perfect ingredient for glowing skin since they are rich in antioxidants A and C as well as alpha-hydroxy-acids. These are so important for good health and help to reduce the visible signs of ageing!

With so many healthy reasons to enjoy pumpkin, this is a perfect choice for family, friends or just you and your special somebody to enjoy! 

Add this little star ingredient!

One of the key spices featured in this soup is Star Anise, obtained from a small native evergreen tree of southwest China. It is widely used in Chinese cuisine and in Indian cuisine where it is a major component of garam masala, and in Indonesian cuisine. It is widely grown for commercial use in China, India, and most other countries in Asia. You will find Star anise in the traditional five-spice powder of Chinese cooking. 

Traditionally, Star anise has been used in tea as a remedy for colic and rheumatism, and the seeds are sometimes chewed after meals to aid digestion.

We hope you enjoy this gourmet healthy recipe! We welcome your feedback after you try it! If you enjoy it as much as we did, please feel free to add your comments at the end of this article for the benefit of others and give well-deserved compliments to the chef!

Bon Appetit! Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium to large onion finely diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

n.b. candle featured in picture above for decoration purposes only. 

STEP 1

Heat oil in pot, add onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until onion is browning.

Ingredients:

600g Kent (Jap) pumpkin, peeled and cut into pieces

4 medium carrots, cut into pieces

4 cups stock

2 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

STEP 2

Put remaining ingredients into pot and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons tahini

1 x 400g chick peas (garbanzos)

STEP 3

Remove star anise and cinnamon stick. Add lemon juice, tahini and chick peas and blend.