Sunday, March 1, 2009

Butternut Squash and Leek Soup















My acupuncturist told me to incorporate more squash into my diet (orange foods are good for me apparently). Good thing I love butternut squash soup! I made a batch today that I plan to freeze half and keep the other half for lunches. I looked up a few recipes online but ultimately, I did what I wanted. The measurements aren't exact as I do a lot of eyeballing but trust me, this is one good soup.

1 butternut squash, seeded, peeled and cubed
2 leeks, washed
28-32 oz. of low sodium chicken broth (depending on how you like the consistency of your soup, less broth for a thicker version)
1/2 cup light cream
2 TBSP butter, unsalted
salt
pepper
cinnamon
nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350. Place the cubes of squash on a cookie sheet (I had to use two), spray with cooking spray and salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes in the oven.
About 15 minutes before the squash is done, cut the leeks lengthwise, discarding the green stems, and slice thinly. Put the leeks in a large pot with 1 TBSP of butter and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
Add the roasted butternut squash to the pot. Pour the broth over it until it just about covers all the veggies. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the squash has become very soft and begins to break down.
Turn off the heat and puree the squash with an immersion blender until smooth. Alternately if you don't have an immersion blender you can puree it in a regular blender in batches, making sure to leave the cover in the lid off and covered with a paper towel to prevent splatter.
Once pureed, add in the cream, salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. Stir it all together and enjoy! My estimates are that this makes 12 generous bowls.

1 comment:

Lauren said...

This looks so freaken good. I am totally going to make this!