It’s officially Soup Szn!
We’re in the thick of fall and the temps have dropped which means, you need to warm your soul with some slurps of goodness.
I’ve been on a squash kick lately.
I’ve literally made squash once a week, ever since the leaves started dropping three weeks ago. We’re talking spaghetti squash, acorn squash, butternut squash…
I, not only love the flavor, but how versatile and filling squash can be. Plus, it’s great for digestion especially when you’ve been a little off the rails with your diet #candycorndelight.
I chose to keep this soup broth-based instead of milk-based (although you could easily sub in some coconut milk or almond milk, check the notes at the end) because broth is a little lighter and has less calories.
I also chose warm spices. You can totally use the powder form, but fresh ginger and fresh turmeric root provide a richness and a kick that’s hard to beat, (Sprouts has a container for $5 that has half ginger root and half turmeric root, it’s perfect for this.)
You’ll start by chopping up your veggies.
If you want a time savor, pick up some pre-cut butternut squash. You can usually find it in the frozen foods section.
Costco had a four pack of chopped butternut squash recently. It’s great for roasting and throwing in a salad, butternut mac and cheese, or for soup.
You’ll sauté your onions and garlic. Then layer on your spices.
Add your squash and vegetable broth. Cover and let it simmer until the squash is tender.
Transfer all of the mixture into a blender and blend for a smooth, delicious soup.
If you want a chunkier soup, blend all but one quarter to one half of the soup. Then add the blended soup back to your pot.
Top it with some fresh herbs, like parsley or cilantro and enjoy!
For a little crunch, add some of your favorite crackers like these seed crackers. They’re low in carbs and high in fiber.
Butternut Squash Soup on a cool fall day?
Just what the szn is all about!
Butternut Squash Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium white onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 butternut squash (or 3 cups pre-cut squash)
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, grated
- 1 tsp fresh turmeric root, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- fresh parsley or cilantro garnish
Directions:
- Peel butternut squash, cut in half, scoop out seeds and cube. You can easily buy frozen or fresh pre-cut squash. It’s a great time savor and just as good.
- In a large pot on the stove add olive oil let warm then add chopped onion and minced garlic. Sauté for a 2 to 3 minutes then add all of your spices and stir.
- Add butternut squash and broth, cover with lid and let simmer for 10 minutes or until squash is tender.
- Remove from stove and carefully add add soup to a blender. **IF you want a completely smooth soup, add entire batch, slowly, then blend. **IF you like some texture in your soup, add all but 1/4 to 1/2 of the batch to the blender and blend. Add the blended soup back to the pot and stir.
- Top with fresh, chopped herbs, like parsley or cilantro and fresh pepper and enjoy.
NOTES:
*If you want a creamy soup, you can add milk (coconut milk or almond milk), instead of broth. You could do ALL milk, or HALF BROTH, HALF MILK. To cut down on calories, I like to add mostly broth and just a couple tablespoons of coconut milk for some creaminess.
