Butternut squash soup

 

Its funny that as I am getting older, I’m finding out that I like more things.  I guess you could say I was a picky eater growing up.  I didn’t like chunks of vegetables in my food (i.e. no chunks of onion in meatloaf like my Mom made growing up, or no chunks of tomatoes in my spaghetti sauce!)  In fact, when my husband and I first started dating, he made me dinner.  He made pasta sauce and remembered that I didn’t like chunks of tomatoes and he went out and bought a blender to puree it for me!  How nice was that?  I think maybe I am getting more adventurous and I am willing to try more things.  Like the other day when I accessorized my stir fry from a salad bar at a restaurant and I threw in cauliflower.  I loved it with the stir fry sauce!  And my twin sister of www.biz319.wordpress.com  got me to try spaghetti squash and I liked it.  So, I thought I would try this soup because a).  I have never had butternut squash and 2). because its different way of eating it which I thought I would like better.  And 3). it’s really quick and easy to make! *Recipe from March 1996 Cooking Light Magazine

 Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1 tablespoon yogurt)

 

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 2  cups  chopped onion
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 2  garlic cloves, sliced
• 4  cups  cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 1/2  cups  one-third-less sodium chicken broth
• 1  cup  dark beer
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  cup  plain nonfat yogurt
• chives, optional garnish

 

Preparation

 

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, cumin, and garlic; sauté 6 minutes or until tender. Add squash cubes, and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add broth, beer, and salt; bring to a boil. Cover squash mixture, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until squash is tender.

Place squash mixture in a blender, and process until smooth. Return squash mixture to pan, and cook until thoroughly heated. Ladle soup into individual bowls, and top with yogurt. 

Nutritional Information

Calories:

145 (22% from fat)

Fat:

3.7g (sat 0.5g,mono 2.6g,poly 0.4g)

Protein:

3.5g

Carbohydrate:

27.5g

Fiber:

3.4g

Cholesterol:

0.0mg

Iron:

1.2mg

Sodium:

609mg

Calcium:

124mg

So, what I have learned it that its never too late to try new things, and if its a food item you never have tried before, or think you won’t like, just try it!  It may just open up a whole new world for you!