Soup is not just a super appetite tamer. At this time of year, with the frigid temperatures outdoors, it feels like a necessity.
A bowl of butternut squash can certainly hit the spot. Save on your sodium counts and food dollars by making your own at home.
All kinds of winter squash to choose from.
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Butternut squash is packed with carotenoids – the pigments that provide its colour. Besides the well-known heart healthy beta-carotene, it’s also a stellar source of alpha-carotene (beta’s kissin’ cousin) along with lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin are yellowish pigments that protect your vision. They are linked to a lower risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. In fact, winter squashes supply more of these pigments than either corn or beet greens, both recognized sources of lutein and zeaxanthin.
Butternut squash is also no slouch when it comes to its fibre and potassium content. Just a one half cup-serving of cooked squash supplies over three grams of fibre and almost 300 milligrams of potassium.
For those of you who hate to peel or cut squash, roasting it makes its preparation much easier. It also boost the sweetness.
Ginger Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 4 – 6
1 2-pound (1-kg) butternut squash, halved lengthwise, seeded
2 tsp (10 mL) vegetable oil
3/4 cup (175 mL) chopped onion
1 tbsp (15 mL) grated fresh ginger
1 tart apple, peeled, cored and chopped
3 cups (750 mL) sodium-reduced vegetable or chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 375°F/ 190°C.
Place squash cut side down on a baking sheet. Pierce each squash half several times with a fork. Bake until squash is tender, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
In the meantime, in a heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add ginger and continue to sauté one minute more. Add apple and vegetable or chicken broth; bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
Using large spoon, scrape squash into food processor; discarding peel. Using a slotted spoon, add apples and onions and puree. Add broth and puree in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan; season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Reheat and simmer, covered, another 10 minutes. Serve garnished with chopped fresh parsley.
Nutritional information per serving: 94 calories, 18 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 3 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 4 g dietary fibre, 216 mg sodium
What’s your go-to food when it’s cold out? Please share in the comment section below.
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