Creamy Winter Squash Soup

A wonderful autumn soup that is adapted from a very well used “New Recipes from the Moosewood Restaurant” cookbook.

Prep Time: 20 minutes    Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

WHAT YOU NEED:

2 acorn squash or 1 medium butternut squash

3 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cups chopped onions

1 carrot, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes

1 potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes

3½ – 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1½ cups lowfat milk

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

MAKING IT:

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.  Halve squash and remove seeds and fibers from cavity.  Place squash, cut-side down in oven proof baking dish.  Fill pan with ½-inc hot water. Bake until squash skin can easily be pierced with a fork, about 50-60 minutes.  Remove squash from pan and allow to cool slightly.

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot or soup pot over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent. Add carrots, potatoes and broth. Simmer over medium heat until carrots and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. 

Scoop the flesh from the cooled squash halves; add squash to the stock pot with other vegetables. Add milk. Purée soup, using an immersion blender. Alternatively, use food processor to puree, working in batches (be sure to cool soup slightly before adding to food processor work bowl; reheat as needed in soup pot). Add cinnamon and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Makes about 6-8 cups.

NUTRITION:

Nutrition Information per serving (1 cup): 170 Calories; 6g Total Fat; (1.5g Sat Fat; 0g Trans Fat); 0mg Chol; 490mg Sodium; 27g Total Carb; (4g Fiber; 8g Total Sugars; 0g Added Sugars); 4g Protein; 300% DV Vitamin A; 15% DV Potassium

TIPS:

While puréeing, it may be necessary to thin the soup with more broth or milk.