Pumpkin & Hidden Veggie Soup with my secret ingredient...

The closer we get to the big two's, the more I am realising that each new day is completely unpredictable. The moods are like day and night, extreme on both ends. That's the thing with Toddlers, what we see as a very small issue they see as a ginormous life altering event. We may not think about which chair we sit on to eat our Breakfast each day, but to a toddler not feeling like a "Big Girl" sitting in the right chair at Brekkie can cause a complete meltdown (Yes, this scenario is real).


Then there are days like today, when they wake up with a smile and a "I love you Mummy" without you having to prompt it. When they are happy to lay still and have a cuddle before getting out of bed and starting the day and when things just seem to run a little smoother in the usual morning chaos.
Today was a good day, there were still tantrums but they were few and far between. The laughs outweighed the cries and she was content with a little independent play. Days like today give us mumma's a little spring in our step, a boost of confidence and some reassurance that we are doing an ok job, maybe even better than ok!


They also make us think about just how much our own moods reflect upon our children. Perhaps today Lady Lalo noticed that I was just a little bit calmer, that I wasn't concerned about whether or not she ate all of her lunch, that I spent more time playing on the floor with her instead of worrying about the housework or that we put our jumpers on and spent the afternoon kicking the ball outside and scooting down the driveway, instead of contemplating whether it was too windy or cold for her to be playing outdoors. Perhaps Lady Lalo's moods are just a reflection of me.

After a blissful Mumma / Daughter day I put on a big pot of nutrient dense, nourishing goodness. Lady Lalo continued to please by eating all of her dinner plus a second serving of soup and chicken. It must have been my sneaky secret ingredient that she loved. She sure has made me happy today. I hope you all get the same success with this meal, it really is a powerhouse of nutrients in one bowl.

My Recipe for 'Pumpkin and Hidden Vegetable Soup with my secret ingredient'


Ingredients:


1/4 x large Jap Pumpkin
1/2 x Butternut Pumpkin
1 x Leek
2 x Stalks of Celery
1 x Broccoli Stalk (I always keep the stalks of my broccoli in a ziplock bag in the freezer for soups and stews, they are full of incredible vitamins)

1 x Zucchini
1/2 x Sweet Potato
2 x cloves of garlic (minced)
1 x teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1/4 x teaspoon mild curry powder
1/4 x teaspoon cumin powder
1 x teaspoon Cinnamon
2 x teaspoon Himalayan Salt (or season to taste before serving)
1 x Litre Bone Broth
3 x Tablespoons Coconut Cream
2 x Tablespoons 100% Cashew Butter or 100% Peanut Butter (Yep, this is the secret ingredient.. YUMMO!)


Method:


I used my Pressure Cooker to make this, but you could use a slow cooker or a large pot on the stove top.. just adjust cooking times to suit.


1. Saute Leek in Coconut oil until translucent
2. Add minced garlic to the leek and all of the powdered spices
3. Stir through the spices until aromatic.
4. Add pumpkin and stir the spices and leek through it really well, then add the rest of the chopped vegetables.
5. Add Bone Broth and seasoning. I pressure cooked it for 30 minutes on Soup Setting.
6. Once all vegies were cooked through and soft, I used a stick blender to puree it all into a smooth soup consistency. This recipe makes a thick soup, if you like your soup thinner add more Bone Broth.
7. Add in Coconut cream and stir through
8. Just before serving, add in your Nut Butter of choice and whisk it through well.


I served this with some Buckwheat Flat bread triangles with some Tahini spread on them, with some chicken and herbed mushrooms (as per photo above).


I hope you and your kiddies enjoy this wonderfully nourishing soup as much as we did, please feel free to leave your comments and feedback below.


Love & Gratitude


x