It’s taken New York a very long time to decide whether or not summer is over this year (it’s halfway through October and the temperature is just now consistently in the 70s).
One thing you should know is that New Yorkers are rarely happy with the weather. The summer is too hot and sticky and the winter is freezing and slushy. (Don’t hate me but I actually love the freeze and slush.) I think that we can all come to an agreement on how lovely fall is though. And I’m officially declaring it to be fall in NYC. Which makes me so excited!
I love New York City in the fall. The weather is no longer stifling. The people are happier. Everyone’s picking apples or pumpkins or anything else that can be picked. And I’m making soup!
Butternut squash soup to be precise.
So why did I choose butternut squash?
It’s the perfect fall vegetable and is usually readily available this time of year. It’s packed with vitamins and you can even reserve the seeds to roast later (check out The Cook’s 2 Cents for more on that tip). It is a more carb-y vegetable, but this makes it a perfect base for soup.
Yields: 10 cups
Prep Time: 15 minutes (less 10 if using precut squash) | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 40-50 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, diced
1 small to medium butternut squash, peeled and seeded then cut into 1 inch cubes
5 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp cinnamon, + more to garnish
1 tsp paprika
1 can white beans, such as cannellini
1/3 cup fat free half and half
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp salt
1 scallion, minced
1. Heat olive oil in pot and add onions. Cook over medium heat until tender ~5 minutes.
2. Add squash, vegetable stock, 1 tsp cinnamon, and paprika. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cover. Simmer on low heat until squash is tender ~25 minutes.
3. Add beans, half and half, salt, pepper, and scallions. Transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender in pot to puree until smooth.
4. Top with sprinkled cinnamon and scallions.
The Cook’s 2 Cents
· Depending on the size you cut the squash, cooking times may vary. It’s done when you can easily pierce the squash with a fork.
· Any white bean will do for this recipe. It’s only used to thicken the soup.
· I recommend using a knife vs a vegetable peeler to peel the squash. Most vegetable peelers aren’t sturdy enough to stand up to the thick skin of the squash. (I actually ended up bending a vegetable peeler on my first attempt at this!)
· When removing the seeds, don’t discard them! Separate the seeds from the pulp and lay flat on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and bake in the oven at 200 X ~30 minutes to dry out. These are a great protein packed snack. I use them as a topping for salads or just eat them right out of the bag by the handful!
· A small butternut squash weighs about a pound. I like to use a whole squash because not only can I take advantage of the seeds, but if bought in season it’s much cheaper than the precut carton they sell at the grocery store. And honestly, it doesn’t take that long to cut up. I bought a whole squash for $0.99 as opposed to $5.49 for the precut carton. If you do choose to buy the packaged version, I would use about a pound of cut squash.
Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 2 cups
Servings Per Recipe: 5
Calories: 148 Fat: 3g Sodium: 580mg Carbohydrates: 24g Fiber: 7g Sugars: 6g Protein: 6
