Warning: Make a large batch of this soup and eat quickly before others devour it! 🙂 This is one of my signature dishes. It’s so yummy, and easy to make – and we don’t use a drop of butter, dairy or sugar! It's healthy, and very nutritious. Winter squash is one of the richest sources of plant based anti-inflammatory nutrients such as omega 3s and beta-carotene, which are important for a strong immune system to help protect against colds and flu.
As the weather gets colder, and you’re looking for something warm and comforting (without heavy fats and sugar), this is your go-to-recipe!
What you’ll need:
1 Butternut squash (organic)
1 Acorn squash (organic)
2 Large yams (organic)
1/2 Teaspoon olive oil
Unsweetened almond or coconut milk (approx 1/2 gallon)
1 Teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
Hand blender
Spatula, spoon and fork
Paper plate
Knives
Baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mat
Tongs
Oven mitts
Let’s get cookin’:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400ºF
Step 2: NOTE: Do not let little hands use the sharp knives or handle any sharp blades (like the hand blender)!!
ADULT: Cut the butternut squash lengthwise. Scoop out seeds with spoon.
Rub flesh on each half with olive oil until coated, and place on prepared baking sheet – flesh side up. Put in oven for 25 minutes. Remove after 25 mins, use tongs to flip squash to flesh side down and bake another 10 – 15 minutes.
Step 3: In the meantime, wash yams and acorn squash. Dry, and use fork to poke about 10 sets of holes in each.
Step 4: Place whole acorn squash on paper plate and cook on high heat in microwave for 8 minutes. Remove and let sit for 10 minutes. Now place two yams on plate and microwave on high for 8 – 10 minutes. If they are not VERY soft, flip over and add 2 minutes at a time until done.
NOTE: Be careful when removing items from the microwave! Let them sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting open.
Step 5: After letting everything cool, cut acorn squash, and each yam in half. Remove seeds from acorn squash.
Step 6: Scoop out all of the meat into the large pot – no seeds, no skin!
Step 7: Add about half of the quart of milk, all seasonings, and blend using hand blender – adding milk until smooth.
Step 8: Heat pot over medium heat, stirring frequently until the aroma fills your kitchen and soup is warmed through!
Step 9: Enjoy!
OPTIONAL Step 10: If you’ve kept the butternut squash seeds, you can rinse them off, pat them dry, toss them in a tiny drop of olive oil and a pinch of salt, and roast them at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Sprinkle them on top of the soup for some added crunch!
Love & yum,
Lindz
Follow us @smallhinges and me @lindzoneill for more!