In the past few years, I have been avoiding cooking French soups because they often involve the use of heavy cream which is something my son can not eat. In one winter morning, I decided to give a try to make butternut squash soup without using this key ingredient in French cooking. I thought the subtle sweetness of butternut squash would go really well with red lentils. Besides, these two ingredients are so nutritious. Butternut squash is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium; red lentils contain loads of protein, magnesium, folate, iron and soluable fiber.

While I was improvising, I discovered by accident that adding garbanzo beans will not only make the soup thicker and creamier, but also make it even more hearty and nutritious. Like red lentils, garbanzo beans, or chick peas are high in protein, soluable fiber, iron, magnesium and folate. They also contain omega-3 fatty acid like butternut squash which are essential for the brain development of a child and help reduce heart disease. Moreover, both red lentils and chick peas provide the necessary complex carbonhydrates for people who suffer from diabetes. In addition, according to US Dry Pea and Lentil Council, peas and lentils are currently being tested for egg replacement with positive results for people who suffer from egg allergies.

Tips: Too much salt will overpower the subtle sweet taste of the butternut squash. It may reduce the effectiveness of certain vitamins.