Spicy squash soup - a simple one that is

Another first for me living here in Canada was cooking with squash. I never tried it before back home, but I was so tempted by all the interesting looking squash in the supermarket that I had to give it a go. Admittedly, this recipe isn’t that adventurous but I am just beginning remember; and at least I can claim this recipe as my own (and if it exists elsewhere then that’s pure coincidence – on my part at least!). However, I now know why I don’t bother devising my own recipes: I can never remember all the ingredients I used (never mind how much I used!). And even when it comes to no more than five ingredients (see below), I still struggle – must be an age thing.

Spicy Squash Soup

Vegetable oil
1 butternut squash – skinned, gutted, and chopped into manageable chunks
1 large onion – skinned and chopped
1 garlic clove – crushed (I may be getting this ingredient mixed up with another recipe but I don’t think it would hurt to add it to this soup)
2 tablespoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin (don’t worry – these spices were both used and the measurements are exact!)
Half a litre of vegetable stock (or enough to cover the squash)

In a large saucepan, gently fry the onion (and garlic if using) in the oil until soft and shiny. Add the cubed squash and the spices and stir until everything’s coated. Add the vegetable stock and gently simmer everything for around 20 minutes until the squash is soft. Place in a blender and blend until smooth.

You know it makes sense

When I was growing up, I used to dimiss a lot of what my dad said because he was old; and because he didn't wear high-waisted flared trousers and wedge shoes. The people who knew stuff were the ones who looked like I wanted to look. Now that I'm middle-aged, I've come to realise that my dad did actually talk a lot of sense. One of the things he used to tell me was that it was important to eat breakfast, which is something I do every day now - and have done for quite a number of years. I don't understand people who don't wake up hungry. One of the best things about getting out of bed (or should that be the only best thing about getting out of bed?!) is breakfast.

My breakfast is home-made muesli. It's a fairly basic concoction comprising oats, nuts, seeds, and raisins. I usually throw on top some fresh berries (blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries), and then pour cold semi-skimmed milk (or 1 percent milk which is the closest equivalent here in Canada) over. It's absolutely delicious. It's the best thing I eat all day, any day. It's easy to prepare (I pre-mix all the ingredients - first chopping up the nuts, which are usually almonds - and then just spoon this from the storage container into my breakfast bowl), easy to eat, and you can just rinse the spoon and bowl out with water afterwards. Simple.

The reason breakfast is so important is that it provides the body with fuel to start the day and keep it going until lunchtime. People who don't eat breakfast usually find themselves hungry around mid-morning and then have to eat whatever they can get their hands on, which usually isn't breakfast cereal, but calorie-dense foods such as pastries or potato chips or chocolate bars. And it's this practice that usually mystifies some people as to why they're not losing weight - or gaining it. While it's true that they're just substituting a mid-morning snack for breakfast, it's what that substitution is that usually causes the problems.

Although when it comes to what to eat for breakfast, perhaps those breakfast-skippers are better off with a bag of chips than they are with most commerically produced cereals. Because unless you're eating a cereal that's a simple wholegrain, e.g. puffed wheat (not Sugar Puffs!), chances are you're not eating a particularly healthy breakfast. Look at the ingredients listed on most boxes of cereal and you'll see added sugar and salt. Most people may think they've grown out of having two tablespoons of sugar sprinkled on their Weetabix but they could very well still be eating the same in the guise of something else!

The good thing about oats is that they fill you up and release energy slowly into the body so they keep you going for longer. They can also help with your mood as it's claimed that alkaloid gramine, one of the components of oats, has mild sedative properties. You can eat them with cold milk, or make porridge with warm milk (or water). Oats also contain fibre which helps to keep bad cholesterol levels low; fibre also helps to keep you regular so another good reason to include them in your diet.

Now why didn't any of those cool looking people I wanted to be when I was growing up tell me this...?