Harlequin pumpkin and sweet potato soup (dairy free)

I can never resist buying a new kind of pumpkin, whenever I see one in the shop. I have to admit, that I'm not very adventurous with it and usually just make it into a soup. But always a different one.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp of olive oil

2 harlequin pumpkins, or 1 large butternut squash (quartered and deseeded)

1 onion (peeled and quartered)

2 sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed)

4 cloves of garlic 

1 chicken or vegetable stock pot (I use Knorr)
1 pot of soya single cream

Method:

1) Place the pumpkin, onion and unpeeled garlic on a large roasting tray, drizzle with olive oil and roast at 200C for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables caught colour
2) Drizzle the rest of the olive oil in a large pot and heat up. Add the onions and fry for a couple of minutes.
3) Add the pumpkin, sweet potatoes and squeeze out the garlic into the pot.
4) Cover with water, add the stock pot, cover and simmer until the vegetables are soft.
5) Add the soy cream and blitz until smooth. Season to taste.

Sweetcorn soup (dairy free)

A variation on the New England deliciousness that is a corn chowder.

Ingredients:

1 onion (chopped)

1 red pepper (chopped)

2 medium potatoes (peeled and chopped onto small cubes)

2 medium carrots (same as above)

500g good quality sweetcorn (I use frozen)

1tin coconut milk

Chicken stock (I use 2 Knorr pots)

Method:

1. Fry onion on medium heat, then add all the chopped vegetables and fry for a few minutes. 
2. Add water, just so that all the vegetables are covered. Cook until veggies are tender.

3. Add coconut milk and blitz until smooth.

4. Season to taste.

I like to add a smoked fish into it at the end (after blitzing) and cook for further 10 minutes. If this is being done, swap chicken stock for a fish one and use only one pot. Otherwise you are risking the soup being too salty.

Serve with crispy warm bread.