Creamy pumpkin soup with crunchy garlic and thyme croutons

Mrsfoodiemumma – Marie Muccio, foodie, wife, mum of three and granddaughter – inspiring you to get excited about food!

Struggling to get your kids to eat their vegetables? Sick of dinner time tantrums? I’m going to show you a fail proof pumpkin soup recipe that’s not only going to get your kids to eat their veggies, they will ask for seconds.

Everyone loves pumpkin soup right! It’s creamy, it’s comforting and it’s delicious.

This pumpkin soup looks just like the classic pumpkin soup but it’s loaded up with super veggies like leek, sweet potato, carrots and pumpkin. It’s such a simple way to get your kids to eat their vegetables.

Topped with crunchy garlic an thyme croutons It’s truly divine!

Now that the kids are almost all back at school and life is slowly getting back to some sort of normal things are going to get busy. It’s nice to have recipes like this on hand that the whole family can enjoy. As a bonus it won’t require 20 different ingredients and can be prepared and on the table in just 45 minutes.

I like to serve the croutons in a bowl in the middle of the table so everyone can help themselves. Whip up a crisp garden salad and you have got yourself a yummy and healthy dinner.

The soup – Ingredients

• 1 small onion roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic peeled and sliced
• 1 small leek chopped
• 2 sticks celery chopped
• 1 tbs fresh rosemary finely chopped
• 1 tbs sage leaves finely chopped
• 2 carrots peeled and diced
• 500g butternut pumpkin skin and seeds removed, roughly chopped
• 1 medium sweet potato peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 litre vegetable stock

Method

• In a large heavy based saucepan heat 1tbs olive oil on medium heat.
• Add onion, garlic, leek, celery rosemary and sage and cook until onion is soft about 5 minutes.
• Add carrot, pumpkin, sweet potato and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
• Remove from heat and blend with a stick blender. Season with salt and pepper.
• Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil and top with the crunchy croutons

The croutons – Ingredients

• 4 slices day old bread cut into small squares
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 tbs chopped thyme leaves
• 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to season

Method

• Arrange the bread onto a lined baking tray. Sprinkle over the garlic and thyme. Drizzle with the olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.
• Using your fingers, gently mix until the bread is evenly coated. Place under a hot grill and cook until golden and crunchy. You may need to give the croutons a toss if the bottom is still soft.

For more delicious recipes make sure you visit my blog at Mrsfoodiemumma.com