TakeOneHolisticCHUNKY but Funky Pumpkin & Lentil Soup
Meals like these are incredibly versatile and you can easily add your own favourite flavours or simply take advantage of using up leftovers in the fridge/cupboard.
Like all other orange vegetables, pumpkin is an excellent source of beta-carotene. This has powerful antioxidant properties and is converted to vitamin A in the body.
INGREDIENTS:
1 medium red onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium pumpkin
1-2 cups vegetable stock
1 tin lentils, drained and washed well
Salt & pepper to taste
Olive oil
METHOD:
Sauté onion & garlic in a pot with a dash of oil
Chop up pumpkin into small cubes
Boil water and make up vegetable stock
Add pumpkin and stock to pot, bring to a gentle boil
Place the lid on the pot and let it cook for roughly 20 minutes until the pumpkin is soft.
Remove from heat, mash pumpkin with a potato masher until soft.
Add salt and pepper to desired taste and any other herbs or spices.
This is a quick and simple recipe so feel free to get creative and add any other ingredients you wish!
FUN VITAMIN A FACT:
VItamin A from animal sources is already readily available for the body. This may sound like a good thing, but actually - there is a set upper limit for it’s intake - meaning that excessive intake can cause toxicity within the body. ❌
However, beta-carotene (from plants) which is then converted into vitamin A within the body, has absolutely no upper limit or potential adverse side effects as the body will only convert as much as it needs. ✅