I have to admit, I’m not always sure what to do with a lot of root vegetables. And it being the winter and all, we tend to always have a drawer full of them slowly wrinkling away. Quite the sad state.

I thought today that those veggies needed a superhero: someone to accept them for who they were, wrinkles and all, and whisk them into something appetizing! A lot of peeling and chopping later, a “very delicious” soup emerged, and that’s a quote from my housemate. The main ingredients are all local to boot!

2 tbs sunflower/olive oil
1.5 cups chopped onions
2 tbs garlic, minced/pressed
6 cups vegetable stock
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed + 2 cups water (lentils & extra water are optional)
4 cups butternut squash, seeded* & chopped (about 1/2 a squash**)
3.5 cups parsnips, chopped (2 parsnips)
1 cups carrots, chopped (I used white carrots since they were local)
4.25 cups turnips, chopped  (2 large)
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp each of cumin, curry paste/powder and cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Sauté onions in oil until soft (about 3 min) then add garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.

Add all the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the veggies are soft. Transfer soup to a food processor or blender in batches and process until smooth (FYI: overfilling food processor + hot liquids = hazardous).

Makes a lot. About 13 cups!

*Toasted Squash Seeds

(Don’t toss, toast!)

Scoop our the seeds, remove the guk, rinse ‘em and salt ‘em. Put them in a pan and bake / toast. I put them at 250°F for 10 minutes maybe, but feel free to play around with that.

** Mashed Butternut Squash

(If you’re wondering what to do with the rest of that butternut squash)

As an alternative to mashed potatoes, this is great as a side dish to steamed veggies & a protein, or as a topping to vegan shepherd’s pie.

Peel the squash and cut into large chunks. Place in a sauce pan with about 3/4 cups of water. Bring water to a boil and then reduce to simmer until the squash is cooked. Stir around occasionally.

Once cooked, drain the water fully, add 1/2 tsp salt and a splash of non-dairy milk and mash up with a fork until smooth (or toss it into the food processor).