Tangy Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Soup To Cure The Winter Blues

Winter has been bone chillingly cold this year, and even though I’m actually a winter person, there have been moments when I’ve wanted nothing more than to be somewhere warm, bathed in sunlight and gloriously devoid of a million layers of clothing. Alas, life and having a one year old does tend to put a hold on spontaneous trips to tropical islands when the winter blues creep up. But there is a way for me to cheer myself up, and as you’ve probably guessed, it’s through food. I think a wholesome, nourishing meal will cure most things, and in this case, it’s a big bowl of steaming hot soup to chase away my winter blues. But I’m a soup girl and any excuse to eat it will do. 

This happily came about because I hadn’t yet gone for a shop and there was really nothing in the pantry save some stock, half a pumpkin and a few sweet potatoes. I was craving something warm and comforting and soup always seems to fit the bill when I’m in need of a pick-me-up, particularly when it’s served with some really good freshly baked bread and homemade butter. This soup, much like a good film, works because it relies on a few good ingredients that enhance the flavours of the rest. There’s a bit of sweetness from the sweet potato, the exotic creaminess of the coconut cream and the tang from the lemon. Soup is a really lovely and forgiving thing to make, as it’s very hard to get wrong. If it tastes a bit bland, you can always add more seasoning. If it’s too salty, add a bit more liquid and so on. But this soup is really made by the addition of the fresh lemon juice. I add a whole lemon to my bowl, but if you’re in doubt just add half. It might sound a bit strange to add acid to a creamy soup, but trust me, it works. And it’s delicious!

So, if you’ve had one of those days when the world just seems too grey and too wet, make this for dinner. Put on a favourite film and eat it on the couch surrounded by people you love and things that make you happy. For me, this is my partner and daughter, along with our cat, blankets, a glass of wine within easy reach and nothing to do for the rest of the evening but eat and laze about, and enjoy each others company in the warmth of an open fire. Just the thing to cure the winter blues.

Love and light!

Susanna xo