As a true Aquarian, I love going rogue by not following an exact recipe to see what I can come up with. This adds an element of creativity to cooking by following my senses and trying things out. Do you go rogue like me or are you a diligent recipe follower?

It’s fun to trust in your instincts and the more I cook, the more I feel like I can do this. If it am first trying out a particular dish, however, following a basic recipe structure does give you an idea of the foundations of a dish. Once you get that down, you can see what you liked, what you didn’t and what you can alter based on your taste and what you have on hand.

Now that Winter is at our doorstep, what better than an immune boosting soup that will warm you from the inside out. The pumpkin is not only in season at the moment but it is also rich in vitamin C to help fight off any colds or flu’s that are going around. The garlic in this recipe has potent antiviral and antibacterial properties that really packs a punch if you’re already feeling under the weather or as a preventive measure. The ginger and chili are super warming as they boost circulation to your fingers and toes. The leafy greens in this soup are packed full of iron, B vitamins and magnesium to give you a much appreciated energy boost during these grey days. I like adding some kind of legume to my soups for a protein kick that will keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Below is my basic guide on how to build a soup but feel free to add or omit what you have! This one is great if you can’t be bothered going to the shops and have some veggies lying around that you’d like to use up.

Go on, trust your instincts. There’s no right or wrong, except for pineapple on pizza!

Vegan, gluten free, dairy free

Serves approximately 6 hungry adults

INGREDIENTS

- ½ pumpkin (sliced into cubes)

- 1 zucchini (sliced into cubes)

- 6 garlic cloves (crushed and chopped)

- 1 brown onion (finely chopped)

- 1 can lentils (washed and drained)

- Chili powder (a pinch)

- Cumin powder (a sprinkle)

- Ginger powder (a sprinkle)

- Curry powder (a sprinkle)

- 3 large silver beet leaves (chopped)

- 1 bunch bok choy (chopped)

- 1 litre veggie stock in warm water

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Heat olive oil in large crock pot for 1 minute.

2. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent.

3. Add veggie stock, spices and some salt and pepper and bring to boil.

4. Lower heat to medium and add pumpkin and zucchini. Stir and cover for about 15 minutes.

5. Add bok choy and silver beet. Stir and cook covered for further 10 minutes or until pumpkin is soft enough to blend.

6. Blend up everything until smooth consistency with a hand blender and stir.

7. Add lentils and blend minimally leaving some whole lentils for texture.

8. Enjoy with the ones you love.

THE WHATEVER'S-IN-YOUR-FRIDGE SOUP