Thursday, September 20, 2012

Butternut Squash Creamy Soup

It took me a long time to appreciate the value of a butternut squash. This soup is out of this world, and liked by many non-squash lovers as well. Perfect for the cold months to follow, and an easy way to make a simple soup appear fancy. ( I loved serving this soup for dinner guests)

Ingredients

-1 butternut squash- seeds and skin removed, and chopped into chunks ( I love Costco's already prepared package for a busy work week)
-1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks
(squash to carrot ration is 1 part carrot to 3 part squash)
-1 can (5.5 oz.) Coconut milk
-Chicken stock to cover squash and carrots plus and extra 1/4 inch above vegetables
-salt and pepper to taste
-honey ( I use around 1 tablespoon, add more if you like the soup sweeter)
-dried oregano for garnish
-lemon wedges to drizzled over finished soup ( this ingredient is my favorite addition)

Instructions

In a larger stock pot place squash,carrots, salt, pepper, and stock, and bring to a rumbling boil un-covered. Cooking time will vary, but boil until carrots and squash are tender. Take a hand blender and blend mixture until smooth. ( you can put mixture into a blender in batches, but this can get messy, and it is hot.) Remove from heat. Add honey, coconut milk, and any extra salt and pepper if needed, and blend. Place into soup bowl, garnish with a sprinkle of dried oregano, and squeeze lemon juice over the top.

* for non-primal/Paleo eaters, this soup is delicious with garlicky croutons. Also, coconut milk is a great substitute for cream and milk in lots of other soups as well. Try it!