Yelvertoft mum's delicious squash soup is a real winter warmer

She lives with her family on a livestock and arable farm and is the writer of our Countryside Kitchen column.

Did you know that three in five people will buy a pumpkin this Halloween? That’s around 35 million people.

But under half of those pumpkins (around 14.5 million) are set to go to waste. Pumpkins, squash and gourds aren’t just for decorating over Halloween, they make tasty meals too.

To help combat food waste a charity called Hubbub have created a campaign called No Pumpkin Left Behind as well as using the hashtag on social media #PumpkinRescue and #EatYourPumpkin which provides a whole host of resources, recipes and activities that you can download and use.

You can find out more on the website: https://www.hubbub.org.uk/eat-your-pumpkin

Pumpkins, Squash and Gourds are in season right now and I love to make some heart-warming soup, especially now the weather has turned a tad cooler. Normally I have an abundance of squash and pumpkins in the garden but as it’s been a dry year, they haven’t been as prolific.

It always makes me feel good making my own soup as I can pack a lot of veg in and know that I’m getting some of my five a day. You can also freeze it for another day, or store in the fridge for a day or two.

Have a go at this recipe for butternut squash and spicy chorizo soup and let me know what you think:

Ingredients:

1 Butternut squash (time saving hack - you can get ready chopped frozen butternut squash in some supermarkets)

Pinch of sea salt

Sprinkle of chilli flakes

Rapeseed oil

Chicken stock 100ml

Chorizo (time saving hack - I often use frozen mini pieces of chorizo found in the frozen section of the supermarket)

Chopped garlic

Double cream 100ml

Pumpkin seeds

Method

Chop and peel 1 butternut squash into small pieces

Spread onto a baking tray and sprinkle some sea salt, rapeseed oil and chilli flakes

Roast in the oven for 30 minutes until crispy

Place roasted squash and all the crispy burnt bits into a pan.

Add some chopped garlic and chorizo

Pour in chicken stock and allow mixture to bubble.

Add in the cream and stir.

Allow all ingredients to combine and then allow to cool slightly

Get a stick blender and use to make the mixture into a soup like consistency.

Garnish with some pumpkin seeds and enjoy with bread or crackers

Alternatively place in a sealed container to enjoy in the coming days or freeze

For more mealtime suggestions, follow the no fuss meals for busy parents food blog at www.nofussmealsforbusyparents.com or on Facebook/Instagram

Let me know how you get on with this one.