Feb / 162012
Roasted Butternut Squash Ginger Soup
Is it still winter where you are? Well it is scheduled to rain today and soup sounds like it would hit the spot! This is really an easy soup to make and it freezes well. I made this for my family yesterday and my kids couldn’t get enough! It tastes good and is SO good for them! This is totally gluten free and vegan but you certainly don’t feel like you are missing out for it is really satisfying and warms the tummy!
Serve on its own or with a grilled cheese sandwich, it is sure not to disappoint! Check out these amazing health facts on some key ingredients; it will have you rushing out to buy butternut squash and quinoa! Eating Well Magazine lists some great info:
- Butternut Squash Health Benefits – Low in fat, butternut squash delivers an ample dose of dietary fiber, making it an exceptionally heart-friendly choice.
- It provides significant amounts of potassium, important for bone health, and vitamin B6, essential for the proper functioning of both the nervous and immune systems.
- The folate content adds yet another boost to its heart-healthy reputation and helps guard against brain and spinal-cord-related birth defects such as spina bifida.
- Squash’s tangerine hue, however, indicates butternut’s most noteworthy health perk. The color signals an abundance of powerhouse nutrients known as carotenoids, shown to protect against heart disease.
- In particular, the gourd boasts very high levels of beta-carotene (which your body automatically converts to vitamin A), identified as a deterrent against breast cancer and age-related macular degeneration, as well as a supporter of healthy lung development in fetuses and newborns.
- As if this weren’t enough, butternut squash may have anti-inflammatory effects because of its high antioxidant content. Incorporating more of this hearty winter staple into your diet could help reduce risk of inflammation-related disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma.
- How to Buy – Choose an unblemished fruit that feels heavy for its size with a matte, rather than glossy, skin. Most winter squash is available late into the fall. Store whole butternut squash in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator) with plenty of ventilation; it should keep for up to three months. Cut squash will stay fresh for up to a week, wrapped, in the fridge.
- And one of my favorite powerhouse seeds – Quinoa is high in protein, calcium and iron, a relatively good source of vitamin E and several of the B vitamins.
- It contains an almost perfect balance of all nine essential amino acids needed for tissue development in humans. It is exceptionally high in lysine, cystine and methionine-amino acids typically low in other grains.
- It is full of fiber, soluble and unsoluble making it a go to ingredient for all your cooking and baking needs.
Remember if you make a double batch freeze some for later and you get another dinner out of the way at the same time! Get your soup pot out cause its gonna be a good day!
Chef Amy
| Roasted Butternut Squash Ginger Soup |
Recipe: Soup
Author:
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Total time: 50 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. butternut squash, roasted
- 2 T. olive oil
- 1/4 t. Kosher salt
- 1/8 t. pepper
- 2 lg. carrots, chopped
- 2 lg. celery, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 lg. garlic clove, minced
- 2 T. ginger, grated using a Microplane
- 1/8 t. Kosher salt
- 1/8 t. pepper
- 6 c. vegetable broth, low sodium
- 1/2 c. fresh orange juice
- 1/4 c. Quinoa
- 2 T. cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Peel butternut squash and remove seeds. Cut into 2 inch pieces and toss with 1 T. olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30-40 min or until a fork pierces the squash easily.
- Place a medium pot over medium-high heat and add 1 T. olive oil.
- Add carrot, celery, onion, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper to the pot.
- Stir to combine and saute for 5 min. or until the onion is softened.
- Add vegetable broth and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil.
- Add quinoa and reduce heat to a simmer for 15 min.
- When squash is cooked thru add to the soup along with the orange juice.
- To puree the soup use an immersion blender until smooth.
- If you use a regular blender do not completely fill as it will make a hot mess. Only fill the blender 1/3-1/2 full and puree until smooth.
- Add the cilantro and taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper if desired.
When do you add the oj? This looks yummy
Hi Ami, you would add it at the end. I have let Amy know it was missing so she can add it in the right spot. The soup is delicious! I made it a couple night ago. Thanks for letting us know it was missing! Have a great day.