I’m typing as quietly as I can. I’m sitting in bed writing this and Elsa is sleeping right next to me. This post will therefore probably be pretty short. Don’t want to wake her up. Luise is out tonight so Elsa and I have played all evening.
If you have been reading this blog for a while you probably know that we raise our daughter on a mainly vegetarian and also pretty healthy diet. Luckily, everything has been going super easy and smooth. We had some early problems with her pre-school, but apart from that it has been very unproblematic.
Elsa turns 3 years in 3 months. Naturally, she has started to be a bit picky with certain food (“I don’t like lettuce”), but generally she still eats almost anything we put in front of her. Beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, pumpkin, broccoli, carrots, stews, soups, all slips down without any fuzz. We are incredibly grateful for this! I am sure that we have been very lucky with her, and that all kids aren’t as easy. But one thing that I think we have done right is to have a really positive approach to food. As long as she eats, we have been very allowing how, where and with what she is eating. You can read more of our tips and thought here.
The reason why I mention this today is because we have noticed another perk with her diet. It is almost December and it’s pretty dark, cold and rainy here in Sweden at the moment. Most kids at Elsa’s preschool have already spent at least a week at home with runny noses, ear infections or fever. Here is the thing; Elsa has not been sick a single day so far. We have heard so many comments and questions about if she gets enough nutrition from her diet. I can’t think of a better proof of health.
Roasted sweet potato, butternut squash and Hokkaido pumpkin are some of Elsa’s favorite foods. You can make this soup on any of those ingredients. We also add coconut milk, which gives it a velvet like consistency and very rich flavor. And ginger, rosemary and apple cider vinegar for a fresh twist. I imagine that a dash of white wine would also be nice.
We are guessing that most of you probably have tried a dozen different pumpkin soups throughout the years. But this really hits the spot.
Roasted Butternut & Coconut Soup with Chévre Yogurt
Serves 4
This soup is topped with chèvre yogurt, which is really delicious. But if you are vegan you can of course just leave it out or replace it with a vegan alternative.
1 butternut squash or hokkaido pumpkin
1 can (1 3/4 cup / 400 ml) coconut milk
1 cup (240 ml) boiling water
1 sprig fresh rosemary (save 1/2 for serving)
1/2 – 1 inch (1-2 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Chévre yogurt
150 g soft chévre cheese (goat’s cheese)
4 tbsp yogurt of choice
Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
Divide the butternut in half with a sharp knife and remove the seeds with a spoon. Place both halves on a baking tray, cut side down. Bake in the oven for 25-40 minutes (depending on the size of the butternut). The halves are ready when the skin is bubbly and slightly browned. Prepare the chévre yogurt by whisking the ingredients together in a small bowl. Remove the butternut from the oven, let cool for a couple of minutes. Spoon out the flesh and place in a food processor or strong blender together with the rest of the ingredients, blend on high speed until completely smooth. Add extra water, if desired. Season to taste. Return the soup to a pot to keep warm, if necessary. Serve in bowls with a dollop of chévre yogurt and some freshly ground black pepper.
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