Do you ever start cooking a recipe and then decide to change the goal posts? I mean, maybe you lack an ingredient or two, can’t be bothered reading the recipe or are feeling extra creative or thrifty with your leftovers. No matter what the reason, if all goes well you can often find yourself with delicious results. In fact it’s how the best recipes come to fruition, and in my opinion it’s the most fun part of cooking! (ahead of leaving the cleanup to someone else!) When I started to cook a carrot soup, I realised time wasn’t on my side, and then my blender went on the blink…plus I had some extra ingredients I wanted to use up, so instead of giving up I let my tastebuds guide me…and boy am I glad that I did!
Ingredients
1 onion, diced
3-4 carrots sliced finely
1/2 pumpkin, cubed
3-4 tablespoons butter
1-2 tablespoons fresh Coriander
2 cups of Chicken Stock
Optional: Salmon, Oysters or Seafood of your choice
Prep
Melt 3-4 tablespoons of butter in a cast iron pot. Add Onions and Carrots and Saute until fairly soft. (This is where I got tired of waiting for the carrots!)
Meanwhile, steam pumpkin in another pot until soft, and if you’ve decided to, cook your seafood.
Now is the time to decide if you want Soup or Stewp – cook carrots until soft or not, it’s your call.
Add chicken stock to carrot and onion mixture and bring to boil.
Simmer gently, adding pumpkin cubes. Use a stick blender to puree or just a potato masher to stir pumpkin to smooth consistency. Add in Coriander to taste. 
Add grilled salmon pieces or seafood of your choice to Stewp for an even yummier more complete meal! For my dose of fish oils and a boost of zinc I chose Salmon and Oysters. Doesn’t look so pretty in the picture, but tasted amazing!
Now savour the flavour – make sure you chew every mouthful 27 times – great for your digestion and a good excuse to make it last longer!
