Mindful Cookalong: feel good with this butternut squash soup

Mindfulness doesn’t just have to look like sitting cross-legged on the floor for 10 minutes – it can take many forms. Things like walking, painting or cooking are all moments when you can grab some brain-quietening headspace, too. That’s where Mindful Cookalong comes in, a new three-part podcast series from woo.

In it, you'll meet chef Jason Adetola as he slowly takes you through three nutritious recipes: butternut squash soup, chickpea curry and enoki ramen soup. Along with staying present and focused, you’ll learn kitchen skills and new techniques as you listen.

First up on the menu? This butternut squash soup, which is “creamy, thick, colorful and aromatic,” says Adetola. Packed with vegetable goodness, this recipe is vegetarian and vegan, and serves two people. Gather all your ingredients and equipment from the list below, then hit play for the full meditative podcast experience – or follow the recipe in your own time.

Ingredients

• 1 x butternut squash
• 4 x medium sized dates
• 4 x slices of sun dried tomatoes
• 2 x spring onions
• 1 x medium red onion
• 1 x red bell pepper
• 1.2 litres of spring water
• 120 ml coconut cream
• 2 x tbsp grape seed oil (or alternative such as avocado oil or olive oil)
• 1 x tbsp Agave syrup (honey as an alternative)
• 1 x tbsp onion powder
• 2 x tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 x tsp oregano
• 1 x tsp basil
• 1 x tsp ginger powder
• Juice of one key lime or standard lime

Cooking equipment

• Oven
• Hob
• A large bowl
• measuring jug
• Baking tray
• Blender
• Large pot/deep saucepan
• Chopping board
• Sharp knife
• Small bowl

Method

• To begin, preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

• Cut butternut squash, red onion, spring onion, bell pepper, dates and sundried tomatoes into medium size pieces and add to a large bowl.

• Mix the butternut squash and other ingredients with grapeseed oil, agave syrup and seasonings until well combined.

• Transfer the ingredients into a large baking tray. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the butternut squash is soft and tender.

• Let the squash and vegetables cool for about 10 minutes.

• Once cooled, add to a high-speed blender along with your spring water and blend for 90 seconds or until the desired soup consistency is reached.

• Pour the soup mixture into a large pot and let it cook for 10-15 more minutes over medium heat.

• Add coconut cream and key lime juice to the soup. Add seasonings to adjust to your taste preferences.

• Enjoy your alkaline electric squash soup!

For more feel good recipes, check out our Mindful Cookalong hub here, and listen to all of our episodes on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, or wherever else you get your podcasts.