Super Squarsh Soup

I made yummy-but-healthy butternut squash soup last week. I was inspired by this recipe, but when I showed it to my Mom, she gave me some extra hints which were VERY helpful. Here’s the breakdown:

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash (Pick one with a thick neck because that’s where all the meat is.)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup fat-free half and half or low-fat milk
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Any or all of the following, depending on your taste preferences:
  • Fresh ginger 
  • Cumin
  • Dried thyme
  • Brown sugar
  • Cinnamon

Directions

• Bake the butternut squash so you can easily scoop out its meat
  (A commenter offered simple directions for microwaving the squash which you could try instead.)
  • Preheat oven to 350°
  • Spray Pam on cookie sheet or baking dish or line with foil
  • Slice squash in half lengthwise
  • Scoop out the seedy, ucky bit from each half
  • Spritz the cut sides of the halves with spray butter
  • Lay halves cut side down in baking dish
  • Toss in peeled cloves garlic
  • Carry dish to oven
  • Add 1/2-1 cup water to dish
  • Bake until you can easily scoop out (with a melon baller or spoon) the meat of the squash (I ended up baking mine for about 40 minutes. Start checking it after a half an hour. You should be able to insert a fork or knife into the meat of the squash and easily remove it without any resistance.)
• Blend the following ingredients until smooth or otherwise desired consistency (I don’t have a boat motor but would’ve used it instead if I did.)
  • All the scooped-out squarsh meat
  • Garlic
  • Fresh ginger
  • 1 cup chicken stock
• Meanwhile, saute the onion with a bit of spray butter until it’s translucent
• Add the blended stock, squash, garlic, and ginger mixture
• Add remaining stock and seasonings
• Bring to a boil
• Add fat-free half and half or low-fat milk
• Simmer 5-10 minutes
• Serve

Baking the squash and garlic gives them a lovely, sweet flavor so next time, I won’t add any brown sugar to the recipe. If you don’t like cumin, thyme compliments butternut squash very well. Just a weensy pinch of cinnamon gives the soup a lovely fall aroma and taste. It’s perfect for cool weather. I gave Lean my leftovers and she loved the soup too! It’s a yummy recipe, very low in fat, high in fiber, and SUPER tasty. Enjoy!