The it's in the air people, and I love it. No more bare legs but a pantyhose and my favorite big woolen scarf I wear it every day again. I'm looking forward to the early evenings, red wine instead of white and I hope it will snow eventually. I am quite a bit romantic, you should know. Only exercising in the winter months in the morning is always a bit of a downer, but that's beside the point. My fridge and fruit bowl also change, I will again stock up on the neat mandarins daily by three and there is definitely endive in my vegetable drawer or cauliflower. With the season, so to speak. It's also really time for delicious winter soups again. Filling, but where you don't have to stand in the kitchen for too long. I love that. I will share a few of my favorite recipes.

Lentil soup with coconut milk

This is what you need for 4 people and here's how to make it

150 gr Puy lentils

1 litre of vegetable stock

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic crushed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

250 ml coconut milk

2-3 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce, also fine)

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wash the lentils and put them in a large pot and cover them with cold water. Boil them for ten minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, turn the heat low and let the soup simmer for another 20-30 minutes until the lentils are cooked. Just taste it.

Cauliflower Soup

This is what you need for 4 people and here's how to make it

1 liter of boiling water with 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 onion

1 whole cauliflower

1 can of coconut milk

coconut oil or butter for frying

a handful of fresh parsley

Chop and sauté the onion in a bit of coconut oil. Meanwhile, boil the water and add the bouillon cubes. Cut the cauliflower into small pieces and add them to the onion, along with salt and pepper. Pour the broth into the pot with the cauliflower. When the cauliflower is cooked, blend it with an immersion blender until smooth. Add the can of coconut milk, blend for a moment and then it's ready. Add a bit more salt and pepper to taste and serve it with a bit of parsley.

My all-time favorite pumpkin soup

This is what you need for 4 people and here's how to make it

1 bottle of pumpkin

1 vegetable bouillon cube (or chicken, also fine)

2 red onions

coriander

lime

a spoonful of red curry paste

a generous splash of coconut milk

coconut oil

Peel the pumpkin and chop it into pieces. Do the same with the red onions. Put some coconut oil in the pan and sauté the onions. When they are a bit translucent, you can add the pumpkin. Stir a bit and add some pepper and salt. Then add 1 liter of boiling water with the bouillon cube. Lid on the pot, low heat and let it simmer for a while (about 15 minutes). When the pumpkin pieces are soft, you can blend it with an immersion blender. Once it has become smooth, add a splash of coconut milk and a spoonful of red curry. Blend again and then taste. Add more coconut milk to taste or maybe a bit more water if you find the consistency too thick. Done is Kees. Pour the soup into bowls, sprinkle a handful of coriander on top and squeeze a wedge of lime.