When it starts getting colder outside, there’s something nice and comforting about homemade soup. It’s also an opportunity to cook a meal from fresh food and make something that contains all the vitamins and goodness that we need to fuel us through training in these damp, dark days.

This soup makes the most of some good basic ingredients and adds a taste of coconut. The combination of flavours is really pleasant and works well. Although I prefer raw spinach for its texture, wilting a handful into the soup towards the end of cooking actually makes for a slightly better nutritional impact. I tend to like fairly chunky soups so tend not to go too long with the blending, but, of course, you can choose for yourself when you blend the cooked ingredients for this soup.

It’s a good source of a whole host of carbs, protein, fibre, vitamins (including A, B6, C) and minerals (including calcium, iron). The ginger helps with the inflammation that comes from working your muscles. And it’s vegan-friendly. So, that's a whole bunch of boxes ticked for me!

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely sliced

160g red lentils

1 cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 tsp ground turmeric

500 ml vegetable stock

100g spinach leaves

400 ml coconut milk

2 x garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 tsp cumin seeds

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ red chilli flakes

½ lime to serve

So, this is how it's done - add onions fried with ginger and turmeric to rinsed lentils and vegetabe stock. Bring to the boil, simmer for 15 minutes, then add coconut milk. Then you can blend to your taste and wilt in some spinach. Stir in some fried garlic, cumin seeds and chilli flakes, then season (just black pepper for me, I don't add extra salt to anything!).And that's it! It’s a dish to have on hand that’s tasty, nutritious and comforting. And who doesn’t need that as autumn draws in?! I think this soup thing just might catch on!

Kate Percy's red lentil, coconut and spinch soup recipe