Pumpkin Soup with Crispy Chickpeas and Kale

The pumpkin, sweet potato and carrot in this soup are excellent sources of carotenoids which are a group of brightly coloured pigments responsible for the orange colour of these veggies. Carotenoids are potent antioxidants, which when eaten in their whole food form protect against cancer and other degenerative diseases, while also improving your immune response to infections. Beta-carotene is the most important carotenoid for adequate vitamin A intake. Vitamin A is an essential vitamin required for vision, gene transcription, boosting immune health and great skin health.

To make the soup, roughly chop half a butternut pumpkin, half a jap pumpkin, 1 large sweet potato and 2 carrots. Fry off an onion in some coconut oil until it starts to colour and add the veggies. Pour over enough veggie stock to cover, add 'Berbere' a fiery Ethiopian spice mix, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer and leave until all veggies are broken down enough to blend. Please make sure the soup is cooled before using a hand mixer or any other device for that matter, as being burned by pumpkin lava is not ideal. Blend until silky. 

                      

Since I'm not eating grains anymore, I won't be having any bread with my soup... To make this dish more of a complete meal I like to add some chilli garlic kale and crispy chickpeas. Both these elements add texture and flavour as well as bounds and leaps to the total nutritional profile.

To make the chickpeas, drain and rinse the a couple of cans chickpeas well, make sure you remove all water as this will slow down the cooking process. Place on a lined baking tray with a little olive oil and salt and into a preheated oven until golden and crispy. Make sure to check on them regularly as it only takes a second for them turn, catch and burn. These crispy chickpeas are so versatile and temptingly moorish. They add texture and class to any dish and make for a pleasant change when snacking on mixed nuts gets old. I'm so obsessed with them, I carry I snap lock bag around in my bag for sustenance on the go! They keep well, so I like to make a big batch and store them in an airtight container for when I need them next. For the next element of the dish, combine kale, garlic, chilli and lemon zest and toss in a hot pan with some coconut oil until cooked through.

Adorn soup with kale, chickpeas and goats cheese or feta.