Monday, September 23, 2013

Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

What a gorgeous fall Sunday it was yesterday. My biggest dilemma of the day was whether to add coconut milk to the soup or a bit of regular cream- life is good. I know you are dying to know, but I stuck with regular cream (just a tad!), you could totally sub in coconut milk and it would be awesome.

This soup gets a bit of a spicy note from the fresh ginger, and a touch of cider vinegar balances out the sweetness from the squash. I was doing a bit of reading last night and discovered that squash contains protective chemicals against colon and lung cancers, reduces inflammation and contains a ton of minerals such as vitamin E, C, calcium, iron and magnesium. SO, EAT UP. Don't even get me started on the benefits of ginger root... we'll go there tomorrow. (I know... a slight change from my Hunger Games obsession...)



Recipe: Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
  • 1 medium onion (peeled & chopped)
  • 1 medium butternut squash (washed, unpeeled & cubed)
  • 2 carrots (washed & chopped)
  • 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
  • 1 1/2 tsp fresh ginger root (grated)
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken or veg stock
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream or coconut milk
  • juice of 1 orange
  • 1 1/4 tsp cider vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste
Method:
  1. In a large pot, sauté onion, carrots and squash for 5 minutes in 1 tbsp of olive oil on medium heat.
  2. Add garlic and ginger, season with salt and pepper and sauté for 1 minute to combine.
  3. Add the stock and cover, bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer for approximately 10-15 minutes or until the carrots and squash are tender (falling apart).
  4. Take the pot off the heat and puree the soup until completely smooth with a hand blender.
  5. Add the orange juice, vinegar and cream, stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. 
  6. Add up to 1 cup of water if need to thin out the soup a bit- I needed about 1/2 a cup.  
Notes: I keep my ginger root frozen in the freezer for super easy grating with a rasp- it also keeps so much longer! Also- you may think I am crazy- but you don't have to spend the time peeling your butternut squash, throw it in the with peel, it will soften and then be blended- you won't even notice it!

- sunday recipe writing -


Sources:
Nutrition Info: 100 Best Health Foods
Napkins: Ten & Co.

No comments:

Post a Comment