With summer like temperatures, I’m sure the last thing that most of you want to even THINK about is a warm bowl of soup. Trust me, I’m with ya! But when you have to go in for an emergency wisdom tooth extraction, you’re left looking to soup as fondly as you do when the autumn leaves start to fall.
The grocery store has some great pre-made organic butternut squash soup options, but my heart (and my tastebuds) were not content with just pouring soup from a box to a bowl. I just had to get off the couch and make my own!
I personally LOVE squash! It’s a great replacement for noodles in just about any Italian dish, is available pretty much year round, and is light enough to enjoy during any season! It is also low in calories, high in vitamins, and it’s full of beta-carotene which keeps those little cancer causing free radicals at bay!
So when it’s 80 degrees outside and you find yourself craving a light soup (or find yourself forced into eating liquids for a week) this is a great option for you.
Butternut Squash Soup
adapted from here & here
3 lbs butternut quash, halved & seeded
2 tbsp utter
1 medium onion
1 small garlic bulb
2 tbsp fresh minced thyme
3 to 3 1/2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable)
1 sprig of fresh sage leaves
salt to taste
2 tsp curry powder (or less/more – to taste)
1/4 tsp cinnamon (or less/more – to taste)
1/4 cup whipping cream (ok to omit, too)
Preheat
oven to 400°. Cut squash in half and seed. Place cut side up in a
15x10x1-in. baking pan. Cut 1/4 in. off tops of onion and garlic bulbs
(the end that comes to a closed point).
Place cut
side up in baking pans. Brush with oil; sprinkle with thyme. Cover
tightly and bake 1 hour or until vegetables are very tender.
Uncover and let stand until lukewarm.
Remove peel from squash and onions; remove soft garlic from skins. Diced squash into cubes and chop onions.
In large pot, melt butter. Add chopped onions and garlic, saute a few minutes, then add squash. Add curry, cinnamon, and broth, season with salt to taste. Add sage and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low
and simmer, stirring occasionally until the flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from
the heat and stir in the cream.
Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can puree in small batches, using a blender. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with parsley, seeds or any other topping of your choosing. Enjoy!
