Autumn is in full swing in The Atlantic Reach Cafe… from warming stews and soups to big filled jacket potatoes, you won’t go hungry!

As we look outside the leaves are falling, nights are drawing in & Halloween is just a couple of weeks away; if you’re planning on buying a pumpkin to carve with the kids, don’t throw away the flesh & seeds after you’ve scooped it out. Instead, use it to make a delicious soup. This recipe includes lots of other seasonal veggies too, which is ideal at this time of year to give your immune system a boost when everyone seems to have a cold or cough!

Pumpkin is rich in vitamins & minerals, but low in calories…. So eat away, guilt free!!!!  Pumpkin is one of the best-known sources of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant, which gives orange vegetables & fruits their vibrant colour. The body converts any ingested beta-carotene into vitamin A, which is known to promote healthy skin & mucus membranes, good eye health & vision & boost our immune system.

Atlantic Reach Cafe Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Ingredients

750g pumpkin, peeled, seeded & cubed

2 carrots, peeled & coarsely chopped

2 onions, cut into wedges

2½ tablespoons olive oil

1 large potato, sliced

1 litre hot vegetable stock

4 tbsp Creme fraiche

1¼ tablespoons ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Salt to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 220 C / Gas 7.

Place your pumpkin, carrots & onions in a roasting tin. Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake in a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until soft but not charred.

In the meantime pour the vegetable stock into a large saucepan with the potato & simmer for about 20 minutes until soft.

Add the roasted vegetables & blend in a food processor until smooth.

Return to pan & place on a low heat.

Season with nutmeg, pepper, salt & a pinch of chilli or cayenne!

Serve with a couple of swirls of creme fraiche.

P.S. Don’t forget the seeds, they are packed with vitamins, minerals & fibre too!

Clean the seeds after scooping out, then add to a saucepan of boiling water for 10 mins.

Dry the seeds on kitchen towel, then drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, chilli & a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce, then roast at 180 c for 8-10 mins. Scatter over your pumpkin soup or just nibble as a nutritious snack…