creamy butternut

Admittedly, I'm about two months early in using butternut squash, but I could not resist. It's such a wonderful vegetable. I often use it in risottos and soups, because it adds a creamy texture, negating the use of cream.

Roasted butternut squash soup is extremely easy - halve, empty and spray with oil. Roast in a tin at 200 C for 45-50 minutes. Add in an onion or two and a favourite herb. Once roasted, scoop out the flesh into a pot with about 1-2 litres of stock, depending on the consistency you like. (1 litre will make a really thick soup with fewer servings.)

Tonight I felt like introducing a few new flavours - carrot and leeks went in the roasting tin with the squash, shallots and rosemary.

Once the contents of the roasting tin were in the pot with the stock, simmering away (ideally for about 20 minutes before blitzing the pot with a hand blender), I stuck a tray of halved cherry tomatoes splashed with white wine vinegar, a few sprays of oil and a spring of rosemary in the oven. Quite honestly, I'm convinced roasted tomatoes are one of our gifts. I can't think of anything nicer.

After blending the soup to a soft, fluffy puree, ladle into bowls and scoop two big spoonfuls of the tomato/rosemary mixture onto the middle of the soup. Serve immediately.

I loved this - and even made enough for lunch tomorrow.

A full bowl serving: less than 200 calories. If you're really hungry, go for seconds: 400 calories is still extremely respectable.

One bowl includes about 250 g butternut squash, 25 g carrot, 1 tsp boullion powder, 25 g leeks, 100 g tomatoes, 20 sprays of olive oil, fresh rosemary, 1 shallot, and half a splash of white wine vinegar.