My favourite soup!!

Soup.
The liquid meal invented for all those who simply cannot be bothered chewing and/or have no teeth.
I kid, I kid.
If you are interested the real definition is:
 

A liquid food made by boiling or simmering meat, fish, or vegetables with various added ingredients.

I'm sure you were interested. ;)

Now- soup.

As a kid I loved tomato soup. In fact I think I had a fetish towards tomatoes in general. I mean, I didn't now too many other kids who spread tomato sauce on their pancakes...
Any who- tomato soup was my jam and I loved it- thereby sticking only to tomato soup because it was the best. End of story.

Thankfully I grew up (slightly) and grew out of all things smothered in tomato sauce and even tomato soup! *gasp* Now I find it way too acidic? Astringent? Sour? Something like that... and instead I found a new love. A love that could be boiled and pureed and created to the same consistency of my previously beloved tomato soup. A love that is so sweet, yet not overpowering and so unbelievably creamy (something tomato soup just couldn't seem to manage). Any guesses?

PUMPKIN SOUP!!

And so today I bring to you my old favourite randomly created recipe of pumpkin and parsnip soup (I had a ton of parsnips I had to use up as well) topped off with oven baked spiced beans and a lentil flour flat bread. Oh yes!

Ingredients:
1/4 red/brown onion chopped
1 heaped teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon olive oil
460g pumpkin + parsnip (whatever ratio you want to go- I pretty much did half and half)
Ground cinnamon (to prefernce- I probably use a lot more than most people- 1/2 teaspoon probably more)
Ground cumin- 1/2 teaspoon
2 cups water
Black pepper
Nutrional yeast (optional)

Spiced beans:
1 x 125g tin mixed four beans (or just 1/3 cup drained chickpeas)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Lentil flour flat bread:
Heaped 1/3 cup lentil flour (can sub in chickpea flour/ any other flour)
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 tablespoons water (keep adding if necessary)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celisus. Line a tray with baking paper.
2. Place the chopped onion, minced garlic, grated ginger and olive oil in a heavy based saucepan and heat on medium heat. Continue stirring every so often until the onion turns translucent and the mixture is fragrant (around 10 mins)

3. Meanwhile chop the pumpkin and parsnip (weigh after chopping)

and add to the pot:

4. Stir together the sauteed onion, garlic, ginger and vegetables and add in the spices (cinnamon+ cumin)

5. Cook dry for 1 minute and then add 2 cups of water:

6. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Remove lid once boiling:

7. Boil for around 45 mins. Meanwhile drain your beans, place on the tray lined with baking paper, sprinkle over spices and rub to combine. Bake for 15 mins

8. Also while the soup is cooking- time to make flat bread! Place the flour and some nutritional yeast (optional) in a bowl and with a metal spoon stir as you slowly add the oil and water. Kepp slowly adding water until mixture comes together and forms a ball:

9. Flatten out onto a non-stick pan on medium heat and cook for around a minute on each side- until golden:

10. Once 45 mins has passed the water should have reduced by about half. Bring off the heat and with a stick blender (or even pour into a food processor) process until smooth:

I added in some cracked black pepper at this point

11. Transfer to bowl (or mug :) and topped with crispy oven baked beans:

12. Et voila!
Beautiful creamy pumpkin and parsnip soup topped off with some deliciously spiced beans with a side of lentil flat bread for dipping and dunking. It doesn't get much better than this guys!

What about you?
What was your favourite soup as a kid?
Has it changed now you're older?
Pumpkin soup? Yay/ nay?

That's it from me today folks! I hope you have a lovely and relaxing Sunday and maybe even slurp on some delicious pumpkin soup! Bye friends!! :D