I got this recipe from Dr. Andrew Weil’s website. I’ve been a big fan of his for well over 20 years. He actually featured this soup on The Dr. Oz Show, when he was a guest on the show. This soup is easy, healthy, and tasty. If you haven’t figured it out by now, I love soups … any time of year, hot or cold, creamy or chunky, and prefer them homemade from scratch. Plus, you can freeze them, pack them for lunch in a thermos, throw in some spinach for added nutrition. Soups have endured the test of time, and are as old as the history of cooking. And in a pinch, I have a few pre-made favorites that I will open for lunch when I get tired of salads and sandwiches. A couple of my most recent favorites: Amy’s Organic Soups and Tasty Bite Madras Lentils (which I buy at Costco).
Now, on to the butternut squash soup. This could not be easier or more economical. I’ve made this the past two weekends while entertaining guests for dinner. Both times, guests were impressed by the flavor and presentation. You can play with the ingredients and seasoning to suit your taste, but this combinations was very tasty. Good luck.
Recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup
2 lbs. already peeled, seeded, and cubed squash (I used butternut, but you can also try other varieties); I actually bought a 2 lb. package of chopped butternut squash at Costco (see photo)
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
3 cloves of garlic, peeled (or more, if you like – I do)
2 apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
Virgin olive oil (enough to lightly coat all veggies)
Sea salt to taste
Chili power to taste
1 quart of Organic Chicken Stock (again, I buy this by the case at Costco)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put all of the chopped ingredients in a large bowl, and drizzle some olive oil to lightly coat all of the veggies. Dump onto a large cookie sheet or flat pan. Sprinkle with some sea salt and chili powder, to taste. Bake for 40 minutes, or until everything is tender and lightly browned. Occasionally give the veggies a stir.
Remove from oven and let cool. Place half of the veggies in a food processor or a good blender (like a Vitamix), add some broth, and blend until smooth. Pour into a pot. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients until all of the veggies and broth have been used up. You can taste the soup at this point and adjust the seasonings, and adjust the texture, adding more broth if it seems too thick. With the 2 lbs. of cleaned squash, I ended up using the entire 1 qt. container of stock.
I serve this soup warm, not piping hot. I’d avoid boiling this soup. Pour into pretty soup plates, put a dollop of sour cream in the middle, and sprinkle with your favorite chopped herb (I used chives, because they’re still growing madly in my garden).
Bon Appetit.
