Satisfy your sweet tooth this Halloween with Butternut Squash!
Hey, Simple Eaters! We all know Halloween is around the corner and for most people it means gobs of candy bars in your face at the office, at the store, basically anywhere you go at this time of year. One way to help curb those candy cravings is to incorporate naturally sweet foods, such as this silky butternut squash soup. It has the creaminess without the cream, texture that literally melts in your mouth, and will make your taste buds dance. This is a great recipe for a crowd, as it can be made it advance, and it will knock off their socks!
Butternut squash is LOADED with nutrients, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, vitamin B6, manganese, potassium, vitamin E, thiamine, niacin, folate, calcium, iron, copper, phosphorus, and antioxidants. If that list isn’t long enough to get you interested, continue reading for the many benefits of this “super food.”
Benefits of Butternut Squash:
- Contains high levels of vitamin A, which supports immune function, vision, reproduction, and
cellular communication - Contains high levels of vitamin C, which supports collagen biosynthesis, immune function, protein
metabolism, component of connective tissue (plays role in wound healing), antioxidant function,
and improves absorption of non-heme iron (iron from non-animal sources) - Helps support the immune system to fight off nasty colds that tend to be more prevalent in the fall
and winter - Contains fiber, which helps control blood sugar levels and keep it lower on the glycemic load scale
- Contains natural pectin, which may help control blood sugar levels
- Contains a variety of B vitamins, which are important for carbohydrate metabolism
Silky Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 large or two small butternut squash, halved, seeds kept inside
- 1 T olive oil
- 2 T coconut oil
- 2 sweet onions, diced
- 1 t sea salt
- 4 c Vegetable or Chicken Broth (My favorite is Imagine Organic Vegetarian No-Chicken Broth Low
Sodium) - 1 13.5 oz can coconut cream or coconut milk (not lite)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On baking sheet, rub squash with olive oil on both sides and place flat side down.
- Bake for about 45 minutes, or until squash is soft and slightly caramelized on the bottom.
- While squash is cooking, in a large pot, add coconut oil, onions, and sea salt. Cook over medium-low for about 20 minutes, or until onions are starting to slightly brown. Stir often to avoid sticking.
- Add broth to pot and cook for about 10 minutes then turn off burner.
- When squash is finished cooking, scrape out seeds, set aside then scoop out the “meat” into the pot with onions. Discard skin. Be careful, as squash will be hot. **Seeds can be cleaned off and roasted for a snack.
- In pot, add coconut cream and stir.
- Transfer ingredients from pot to a high-powered blender. Blend until silky smooth. (This may need to be done in batches, as it will still be hot and you want to avoid the blender lid from blowing off. Trust me, this is not fun!)
- Taste for salt and adjust as needed. If soup is too thick, you can add more water or broth as well.
Topping options: Trader Joe’s Thai Chili Almonds, cilantro, parsley, tamari almonds, toasted almond slices, or toasted cashews. - ENJOY!
Learn More About Chef Anndrea Yetter
References
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/winter-squash/
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=63
https://draxe.com/butternut-squash-nutrition/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/284479.php
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/
