Curried Butternut Squash Soup

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I’m taking it easy today and this weekend after having some dental surgery yesterday.  Once I arrived home, I knew I would be thinking about food very soon and needed something nourishing but also soft since I can’t chew and disturb my stitches!

Hmmm, I have this big box of beautiful butternuts….what could I make?

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Not only is it squash season, it’s quickly becoming SOUP season.

What I decided to do was whip up a delicious thick, creamy, pureed soup made from my stash of butternut squash and just a few other simple ingredients.

Almost everyone I talk to tells me they love butternut squash so I wanted to share this idea that is so simple to create, healthy and tastes incredible.

 

You’ll need:

  • Butternut squash (Cooked and yes, you can cheat and buy the frozen chunks or pre-cut chunks in the produce section.)
  • Broth or stock (I used my homemade bone broth that I had stored in the freezer.)
  • Coconut milk
  • Curry powder (The main ingredient is TURMERIC which has awesome anti-inflammatory properties– PERFECT for healing ASAP!)

The coconut milk adds a creaminess that I love, plus you get the nutritional benefits of coconut, not to mention the ♥FAT♥ makes the soup more satisfying so you’re going to stay full longer.  But you could also make this with only the squash and broth blended up if you wanted to keep it lighter.  Curry is optional as well.  I love the flavor but if you don’t, leave it out and make your butternut squash soup with whatever seasonings you like.

As is usually the case with my cooking, be warned that this is not an exact recipe but rather an idea.  I don’t measure, I just cook.  The more you get in your kitchen and prepare your own food, the more comfortable you will be with following your instincts– and the more creative ideas you’ll find you have inside of you that you never knew about!

Here’s how to make this soup:

Bake your butternut squash.  These are minis.  Feel free to use a couple of large ones.  They all taste similar.  🙂

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450 degrees for 45 minutes.  Larger squash may take longer.  Test with a fork and when they’re tender and soft they’re done.

 

Let them cool until they are comfortable to touch.   Scoop out the squash and place in a blender with your broth, coconut milk  and curry powder.

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I used about 3 cups of broth (thawed and reheated), about 1 cup of coconut milk and LOTS of curry powder (maybe two big tablespoons).

Blend everything together until smooth, adding more liquid (broth or coconut milk) as needed to reach the consistency you want.

 

 

Enjoy this nutritious and delicious soup!  I like to use glass jars for storing leftovers in the fridge.  If you plan to freeze some, glass jars are perfect for this as well– just be sure to leave some room at the top for the liquid to expand.

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You want to know something funny?  Before I had this surgery I was thinking to myself, “I’m not going to be able to eat many of my regular foods for a while so what a great time to get some ice cream to enjoy.”  🍨 Interestingly enough, I have no desire for ice cream.  What I want is to heal and regain my health as quickly as possible and I know that what I put in my body will affect this.  Nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich foods are what will get me where I want to go.  And while ice-cream won’t kill me, I know it’s not going to contribute to the recuperation process.  When you are clear about what is truly important to you, your actions follow suit.

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The Greatest Green Drink: Matcha

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I’m so excited to turn my calendar over from February to March tomorrow…

20 days til spring!

This means it won’t be long until we start seeing GREEN everywhere.   While I love seeing green in nature, I don’t love seeing fake-green drinks that come out in celebration of St Patrick’s Day.  No Shamrock Shakes or green beer on this dietitian’s blog.

Instead I’ve got something just as green, but more delicious and most definitely more nutritious. Matcha!

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Matcha is green tea– but not like the green tea most of us are used to.  You don’t steep it; it doesn’t involve a tea bag.  It is finely ground Japanese green tea leaves that you dissolve into hot water and drink.  It’s perfect for when you want something with a little more body and depth than regular tea.  You get all the health benefits of green tea…multiplied.

There are traditional ways of making a cup of matcha that involve a bamboo scoop and whisk:

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I don’t have these things but I’ve created my own tradition:  What I love to do is blend up 1 teaspoon of matcha with 2-3 tablespoons of coconut milk, 1 medjool date and about a cup or so of hot water.   The Vitamix smoothly incorporates everything and leaves a little frothy top layer.   Tip:  Use the thick coconut milk from a can, not the thinned out drinkable type.

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Isn’t it gorgeous?!

Matcha tea leaves are shade-grown resulting in more chlorophyll than regular green tea and a brighter green hue.

 

 

 

Matcha isn’t cheap but it’s an indulgence that I think is worth it.  The first time I ever had matcha was while visiting Seattle about 10 years ago.  They had it in a cafe and I fell in love with its richness and flavor.  Back in RI I could only find one brand at Whole Foods and it was this tiny container for something like $25– I don’t remember exactly but I do know I didn’t buy it and then unfortunately forget about it for years.  Now, there are several tea brands that sell matcha and it’s not quite as pricey.

This is the one I have from The Republic of Tea:

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And now for what you’ve all been waiting for….the health benefits of matcha!  It’s more potent than your usual green tea.  Because you are ingesting the whole, ground tea leaf rather than steeped tea leaves, you are going to get more of the nutrients found in tea:

  • L-theanine (an amino acid):  Can help with focus and concentration while also promoting a sense of calm.  Think of monks drinking green tea and meditating.  🙂
  • Antioxidants:  Contributes to combating inflammation and oxidation.
  • EGCG: A phytochemical that is associated with a decreased incidence of many types of cancer and also supports brain and heart health.
  • Caffeine:  Less than in a cup of coffee and with the combination of the L-theanine promotes a calm-alertness and mental clarity.

There are SO many health reasons to drink green tea…plus it can be a super mood booster. 💚

I can’t think of any benefits to the Shamrock Shake unless you’re looking for 790 extra calories and 112 grams of sugar ?!?!  (in a large)  OK, well perhaps as a very occasional treat… and consider ordering the small.

And if you absolutely MUST have green beer for St. Patrick’s day:  Avoid the artificial food dyes and try one of these 5 Peculiar (and natural!) Ways to Turn Your Beer Green  from TIME– number 3 being matcha!

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Bone Broth

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I hope you saved the carcass from your Thanksgiving turkey…

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Bones, water and a little apple cider vinegar… Simmer for approximately 24 hours and then strain the broth.

Are you drinking bone broth?  I wasn’t until recently.  I have quickly become a believer in it– both for health as well as for its incredible flavor.  I’m also into the idea of not wasting good, nourishing food.  Never will I go back to bouillon or canned broths.

Bone broth (also called bone stock) seems to be one of the latest dietary trends.  I keep reading and hearing about it like it’s something new, but it’s really not.  Bone broth is a traditional dietary staple that our great grandparents and earlier ancestors relied on regularly for nutrition.  Somehow it became forgotten, likely when convenient canned broths and soups grew in popularity.  To be embarrassingly honest, I wasn’t familiar with bone broth until this past year.  That’s likely due to my many years of veganism– which I now know was not the best thing for my health anymore.  Thankfully, I see food and health from a very different perspective these days.  Animal foods ARE incredible sources of nutrients to enhance our health and well-being.  Bone broth being one of the most nourishing things you haven’t been drinking….until now.

You can make bone broth from any animal– usually a cow, chicken or pig.  🐮🐔🐷

After cooking your animal and removing the meat from the bones to eat, place the bones along with a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a pot of water (enough water to cover the bones).  Add seasonings/spices too if you like.  I find it easiest to do this in my crock pot but it can be carefully done on the stove top as well.  A small amount of meat left on the bones is fine.  The cider vinegar helps to extract the minerals from the bones.  Simmer on low heat for about 24 hours, let cool a bit, strain and jar up your broth.  I store mine in the freezer, taking out a jar to thaw in the fridge as needed so that I can easily heat up a cup on the stove.  You can also use bone broth as a base for soup or stews.

According to Deep Nutrition by Catherine Shanahan, MD, bone and joint health are two excellent reasons to drink bone broth:

Joint health:  Bone broth is rich in  collagen molecules called glycosaminoglycans which help keep our joints healthy.  You’ve probably heard of glucosamine supplements.  Why not get this nutrient naturally along with an entire complex of cartilage components through bone broth?

Bone health:  Bones are an excellent source of calcium.  Calcium along with other minerals leach into the broth making for a mineral rich beverage that is great for bone health.  Remember, it’s not only calcium that your bones need, but a wide array of nutrients.

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Bone broth from our Thanksgiving turkey this year, labeled and frozen in jars for convenient reheating.

Throughout history humans have used the entire animal, not discarding so much of it like we do today in America.  Not only the bones, but the organ meats (or offal) were prized for their impressive nutrition.  I rarely venture into the territory of organ meats, although I would like to try more of this.

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Heart cooked with onions– actually pretty good!  Heather at Watson Farm gave us one to try.  Much better than the chicken livers, in my opinion.

You can ask your local farmers for bones to make bone broth with.  Another thing I do is keep a zip-lock bag in the freezer to fill with bones when we cook smaller amounts of meat and when the bag is full it’s time to make a batch of bone broth.

Even if your turkey bones from Thanksgiving are long gone, consider saving future bones to make bone broth.  Some people claim it can improve skin, digestion and leaky gut.  Bones are far too rich in nutrients to throw away– plus, I believe it’s a way to honor, respect and give thanks to the creature who died.  I hope you try it if you haven’t.  If you have, please share with me any results you’ve noticed.  I haven’t been drinking it that consistently, but I do know when I sip a hot cup on a cool day I just feel good.  Like I always say, pay attention to how different foods make YOU feel.  We are all unique and learning what makes you feel your best opens up the doorway for you to live your most authentic and meaningful life.

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