All Things Holistic Blog

The Bounty of Squash

As we transition to Fall, there is no food as fabulous to me as squash. To me, squash roasted with some onion and garlic with some rosemary is the perfect comfort food. And, squash is loaded with vitamin C, phytonutrients, and good fiber--boosting our immune systems and helping our bodies transition into the colder months with ease.

So, in honor of Fall and squash--here is one of my favorite recipes:

Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

1 butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 yam or sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
2 pears (bosc works well), cored and roughly chopped (not overly ripe)
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup coconut milk (or other creamy milk, preferably non-dairy)
6.5 cups vegetable broth
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 to 1 inch ginger root, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine squash, sweet potato, cinnamon stick, and ginger in a soup pot. Add 6 cups vegetable broth (save 1/2 cup for later), bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

2. While vegetables are simmering in soup pot, cook onions in olive oil in a pan over medium heat - about 5 minutes or until caramelized.

3. Add chopped pears and 1/2 cup vegetable broth to onions. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until broth is reduced; then add pears and onions to soup pot.

4. When squash and sweet potatoes are tender (takes about 25 - 30 minutes), add coconut milk. Remove from heat and take out cinnamon stick.

5. Use a food processor, strong blender, or a hand-held blender to blend all ingredients together until smooth. (If you use a food processor or blender, you may have to do this in batches.) Can leave a portion of the soup unblended for a hearty, chunkier texture.

6. Add sea salt and pepper, to taste.

Excerpted from one of my favorite references: www.drbenkim.com

ENJOY!