One of the best things about
moving to Ohio when we did was my first chance to see the season’s change. In
Florida, you get hot for nine months and then chilly for three with
interspersed hot days. I have been assured that I will get to see five seasons
here (Winter, Spring, Summer, Indian Summer and Fall).
Awaiting the dramatic
snowfall yesterday (dramatic to this Florida girl), I wanted to make something
warm and inviting that was also healthy.
This recipe, Thai
Butternut Squash Soup has been adapted
from this month’s Cooking Light magazine. I made a couple changes to the
recipe, roasting my own squash instead of frozen puree (I like the roasted
flavor, which sweetens the squash so I omitted the sugar) and leaving out the
peanuts (which I didn’t miss at all). Though peeling and slicing butternut
squash is painful to the knuckles and feels more like cutting through a steel
rod than a vegetable, the effort is worth it when you smell the squash roasting
and then, of course, get that roasted flavor in the soup. I also zested the
lime before I cut it in sections. I added the zest to the soup to give another
level of flavor.
I
thought I would really like this soup, but I fell in love and now this is a
favorite go-to soup. The one-cup serving is only 4 WW points and is pretty
filling since it is thick. I think this may work itself into a dinner party or
two since the color is so elegant and the flavor just so … INCREDIBLE! Since
the recipe makes four servings, I get to have another this afternoon after a
hard morning of shoveling snow! (As a leftover, you may want to add another ¼ cup
of broth per serving to make it not so pasty, but still rich and thick.)
The link above will direct
you to the original recipe. Below are my adaptations.
Thai Butternut Squash
Soup
1
butternut squash (peeled and cut into aprx 1” pieces)
cooking
spray
salt
and pepper
1
tsp canola oil
1
cup chopped onion
2-1/2
tsp red curry paste
1-1/2
tsp minced fresh garlic
1
tsp minced fresh ginger
1
cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2
tsp brown sugar
1
(14-ounce) can light coconut milk
1-1/2
tsp soy sauce
1/4
cup cilantro leaves
1
lime, cut into 4 wedges and zested
1.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place cut and peeled squash on a cookie sheet
sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper, toss and put
in the oven for 1 hour.
2.
When the squash is finished roasting, heat a medium saucepan over medium-high
heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add onion and sauté 3 minutes. Add curry paste,
garlic, and ginger, and sauté for a minute, stirring constantly.
3.
Add the squash to the pan and stir to meld the flavors.
4.
Add broth and next 4 ingredients (through soy sauce) and lime zest; cover.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
5.
Place half of squash mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid
(to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel
over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into
a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture.
6.
Spoon 1 cup of soup into each of the 4 bowls; top with cilantro. Serve with
lime wedges.
What is your favorite go-to soup recipe?
