Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Soups

By Dixya

October – “Orange You Glad It’s Fall?” Markets are plentiful with the orange colors of autumn including pumpkin, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes and even golden beets. Not only are these produce bursting with fall flavors but they are also chocked full of carotenoid antioxidants.

Since I came to USA, I have always lived in cities with very cold weather (New York, Pocatello, and Peoria) still could never get used to it..the windchill, snow, lack of sunshine just makes me grumpy & miserable..

…okay may be there are few things I like about cold weather..

Long leather boots..

Pea coats, superrr loooong down jackets…

Warm, hearty, creamy, chunky, spicy, meaty – soups…

and.. that’s it! My list ends here.

To celebrate the beginning of Fall, I baked pumpkin spiced donuts…and now its slowly starting to feel like Fall, I am ready to get started on this soupy adventure with some winter root vegetables – butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and carrots.

Winter vegetables may seem little daunting in the beginning; they demand little more cooking time than fresh greens and tomatoes..remember, they are great source of fiber and loaded with lots of vitamins and minerals that our body needs to fight off the cold. Enjoy them- simply roasted, curried or as soups and stews!

This was my first time working with the butternut squash and with the help of one of my friend’s sister (a butternut squash guru), we were able to successfully cut it and scooped out the seeds…

…and roast the seeds in the oven alongside with some olive oil & salt until crispy. It makes a great snack and toppings for salads.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Makes about 2-3 big servings

Ingredients
1 butternut squash, cut into halve, seeds scooped (save the seeds)

2 carrots, cut into thick rounds

1 medium sweet potatoes, cut into chunks

1/2 onion, quartered
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 heaping tablespoon fresh ginger root, minced

2.5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 sprigs each- fresh thyme, sage, rosemary

2 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions

-Preheat the oven to 400F.

-In a medium bowl, mix carrots and sweet potatoes with some oil, salt & pepper.
-Rub oil, salt, pepper, and some garlic on halved butternut squash.

-Place them in a baking tray, roast them for 40-45 minutes turning them occasionally or until they are soft. Scoop the flesh from butternut squash.

-In a sauce pan over medium heat, add oil, and sautee onions, ginger, garlic for 2-3 minutes.
-Stir in the carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes from the oven along with fresh herbs and sautee for few minutes.
-Pour in the broth, pepper and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes.

-Remove from the heat and blend until smooth.

-Taste it and adjust salt, pepper as needed.
-Sprinkle some roasted butternut squash seeded if desired or a dollop or Greek yogurt or low-fat sour cream.

Although it took a while for the veggies to roast in the oven, it was totally worth the wait..in the meanwhile I was able to catch up on my recent addiction 90210.

The soup was extremely creamy with so many flavors from different root vegetables and fresh herbs..I particularly enjoyed the taste of ginger- like our guru said “Its a MUST”, it really is- ginger along with other fresh herbs elevated the taste of butternut squash, it worked so well with sweet potatoes & carrots..