Pumpkin and Red Pepper Soup

Pumpkin is one of my favourite ingredients. It is packed with beta-carotene, an important antioxidant that helps us fight free radicals, low in calorie (20 cal per 100 g), the perfect vegetable for persons who watch their weight. It is very rich in potassium and its intakes in magnesium and iron are not to be neglected.

Peppers, on the other hand, are a good source of vitamin A and C; the red ones are bursting with these two antioxidants, effectively neutralise free radicals in the body fluids reducing the risk of diseases. A single raw red pepper, sweet or hot, can meet the daily requirements for two important antioxidants, vitamin A and C.

This can be your Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday...Sunday soup because it is easy to cook and it has so much nutrients inside to keep you alive and kicking. I call it my energy-boosting beauty soup.

Can't live without pumpkin & pepper, man...




1 Slice of Pumpkin weighing about 1kg, peeled and chopped
2 Red Pepper, roasted, peeled, cored & seeded (learn how to peel a red pepper here)
1 Red Onion, chopped
2 Fat Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
Olive Oil
Half a lemon Juice
1 bay leave
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parsley to garnish

Method
Take a pan in medium low heat, fry the onion in the olive oil, till slightly brown and definitely translucent. Add the chopped garlic and bay leave, fry a bit, abt 1 min, and then pumpkin. Give all the ingredients a good stir and fry for 2 more mins, then add one and a half litres of water and roasted red pepper and bring to the boil. Cover the pan and simmer for about 20 mins or until the pepper and pumpkin are cooked. Add the juice of half a lemon, the salt, pepper and simmer for another two minutes.

Pour this delightful autumn-coloured treat into a blender and have a good blend. Serve with bread.