Butternut Squash Soup

Soup is one of my favorite foods. It's warm, comforting and easy to make. When my children were younger, I had a "Soup and Sandwich Night" every week throughout the Fall and Winter. Now, I'm a vegetarian and live by myself. I usually make a big pot of soup on the weekends and freeze small containers for later. Sometimes when I get home from work, I make myself a single serving vegetable soup by dicing a handful of whatever vegetables I have, covering them with water, and simmering them for an hour. Butternut squash is one of my favorites. This soup is excellent with an arugula salad and a whole grain baguette.

Butternut Squash Soup

2-3 lbs of peeled and cubed butternut squash (1 lg or 2 small)

1 diced yellow onion

2-3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

32 oz vegetable broth

salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste 

pepitas and/or sunflower seeds for garnish

In a stock pot, saute the onions and squash in the olive oil for 8-10 minutes. Add the broth and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the squash is soft. Turn off heat and allow the soup to cool slightly. 

You can puree the soup with whatever tools you have available. An immersion blender, standard blender or food processor all work well. With a slotted spoon, scoop out the squash and puree in small batches. Adding a ladle or two of the broth helps make the blending easier. Continue until all the chunks have been pureed. 

Return the pot of soup to low heat. Add your spices to suit your taste. If your broth is salted, you may not need any added salt. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with the pepitas or sunflower seeds.

*all ingredients are organic.