Spicy Slow Cooker Chick Pea and Butternut Squash Stew

I do love my slow cooker. Especially for these dump style meals... put everything in the slow cooker, turn it on, and walk away. How easy!  Gotta love that, right?  This Spicy Slow Cooker Chick Pea and Butternut Squash Stew is truly delicious... and very easy.  And if you have been trying to get more veggies into your diet, like I have lately, this is right up your alley!

I was craving something a bit spicy even though our weather has been fabulous!  I wanted something with an Indian flavor, but not really a 'curry' as such, so I chose spices that would compliment turmeric, but not get overwhelmed by it. I think I found the right balance.  The Captain loved it... and was quite pleased that it didn't taste like curry, even though the veggies definitely took on that usual yellow hue that turmeric causes.

I think you will find it quite nice... especially if real curry is not really your jam either!

Don't be intimidated by the list of vegetables that I used. Get creative and use your own favorites. Cauliflower would be good here... so would green peas.

I froze the leftovers in individual one-cup servings so they can be easily thawed and used for quick meals on busy days. Win win.

Spicy Slow Cooker Chick Pea and Butternut Squash Stew
Makes 10 one-cup servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 6 ounces zucchini, cut into cubes
• 4 ounces onion, sliced vertically quite thin
• 16 ounces butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
• 3 ounces whole green beans
• 4 ounces carrots, cut into chunks
• 1 ounce raisins
• 1/2 can water, use the diced tomato can
• 1/4 tsp each of cardamom, garam marsala, coriander
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp each of cinnamon, turmeric
• healthy dash black pepper

Instructions:

1. Open cans, and prepare vegetables.
2. Coat the inside of your slow cooker lightly with a non-stick spray for easy cleanup.
3. Layer the vegetables in the slow cooker.
4. Mix the spices in a small bowl and then sprinkle over the veggies.
5. Add the tomatoes and the water and then stir.
6. Cook on LOW for about 8 hours.
7. Serve warm over carb/grain of your choice... quinoa, rice, noodles, barley, wheatberries, freekah, farro.

Per serving, stew only.

Weight Watchers Smart Points = 1*

Calories 119

Fat 1g

Saturated fat 0g

Carbs 24g

Fibre 7g

Sugar 7g

Protein 6g

* Chick Peas is the only item on this list that has a points value in the Weight Watchers Smart Points program

Everything into the slow cooker and set to cook on LOW for 8 hours.  It looks like not a lot of liquid to start, but the veggies create juice as they simmer. Stir once or twice if you during the cooking time to make sure everything is eventually covered and bubbling.

I served over macaroni noodles for The Captain.

Printable Recipe

What do you call these legumes?  Chick Peas or Garbano Beans?

If you like this recipe I hope you will consider Pinning it!  Thanks so much.

Spicy Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup

Every time I come up with a new combination of veggies and flavors to make soup, it immediately becomes my favorite.    And that’s true of this one…. actually I have been keeping it all to myself over the past couple of weeks, but now that I only have one serving left, which I am enjoying for lunch today, I think it is about time I shared it with you. I am calling it my Spicy Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup.

And believe me, naming this soup was a bit of a problem for me. It has lots of garlic in it, and it also has curry powder… but honestly, Garlicky Curried Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup just sounds so cumbersome… and sometimes putting the word curry in the title of a soup scares people away. And if you thought you didn’t like garlic, that might turn you off as well (leave it out – really!)
So, Spicy Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup it is, and not matter what I might call it, it is fabulous. Really!

I used my homemade turkey broth and my usual soup method to prepare this soup but you could use a store-bought chicken stock, or even make it vegan, and go with a veggie broth. I like to make my own. Ignoring either of those options, just use water. I know the garlic and the curry will give it enough flavor.

I like to freeze leftovers in individual portions.  Just pop it into a small saucepan to thaw and heat for serving.  This soup is thick and hearty and goes like this:

Spicy Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup
Makes 8 one-cup servings.

• 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into one-inch chunks
• 2 large carrots, cut into one-inch lengths
• 1 cup onions slices
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 4 cups broth of choice
• 2 Tbs curry powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Prepare your vegetables, onions, garlic, and set aside.
2. Melt 2 tsp coconut oil over MEDIUM heat in large stock pot.
3. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes till translucent, taking care not to let them brown.
4. Add the squash and the carrots and cook about 5 minutes more.
5. Add the curry powder and stir till all the veggies are coated.
6. Add the stock, cover with a lid and turn heat to HIGH.
7. When the broth has come to a boil, turn heat to LOW and let simmer for 45 minutes.
8. Remove the pot from the heat and uncover.  Allow soup to cool for at least 15 minutes.
9. Puree in batches or with an immersion blender till smooth.
10. Ladle into serving bowls, and season liberally with salt and a dash of pepper. Serve warm.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 2.
Calories 88; Protein 3g; Carbohydrate 18g; Fat 1g; Fibre 3g.

If you are following the Simply Filling Technique, there is really nothing to count here as the oil per serving is only 1/4 tsp.

And I also love it with a bit of plain Greek yogurt .

It adds an element of creaminess, and also packs a great protein punch.

Printable Recipe

What's your favorite combination of veggies for homemade soups?

Do you like to garnish your soups with yogurt, or even sour cream?

Grain Free Butternut Squash Pancakes

I made these Butternut Squash Pancakes a few days ago, to use up some cooked, leftover butternut squash that was in my fridge.   And they were so good,  I made them again! I know they would be very similar with cooked and mashed sweet potato, or even canned pumpkin. They were delicious and quite filling, with the almond meal and bit of coconut flour, and whole eggs.  

Yes, it’s a hearty breakfast that will certainly keep you satisfied till lunch.  You might even prefer it for a weekend brunch.

Coconut flours vary so the amount of almond milk required to get the batter to the right consistency may change from time to time. I really think that the amount of humidity in the air makes a difference when using coconut flour. The first time I made them I used only 2 Tbs of almond milk.. the second time I needed 3 Tbs.

Butternut Squash Pancakes
Makes 1 serving

• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbs almond meal
• 2 tsp coconut flour 
• 1/2 cup cooked and mashed butternut squash 
• 2 - 4 Tbs almond milk
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Beat the eggs till frothy in a medium bowl.
2. Add the almond meal, butternut squash, coconut flour and cinnamon.  Mix well.
3. Add 2 Tbs of the almond milk and mix. If the batter seems too thick, add more, 1 Tbs at a time till desired consistency… not too runny.
4. Set your non-stick skillet on the stove top over MEDIUM-HIGH heat.
5. Using a 1/4 cup measure, spoon the batter into the pan. Cook for about 3 or 4 minutes, then flip and cook the second side.
6. Remove to serving plate and keep warm till 5 pancakes are cooked.
7. Serve with toppings of your choice. 

Per serving, without toppings.
Weight Watchers P+ = 8.
Calories 286; Protein 17g; Carbohydrate 16g; Fat 18g; Fibre 5g.

 

My pan only has room for 2 cakes at a time.

Flip, and cook the second side.

I topped mine with banana slices and a bit of syrup.  Nut butter would be good too, or some coconut shreds.

Printable Recipe

Butternut Squash Nooch Sauce for Zoodles or Noodles

I am absolutely obsessed with zoodles.  I am typing and saying the words zucchini noodles or  zuke noodles so often now that I am  officially changing the name to zoodles, just to save me some strokes and some breath!

But I am not only obsessed with writing and talking about them, and taking pictures of them on my plate, I am completely obsessed with eating them… I think that The Captain is afraid I am going to start turning green, but at least I have finally cut back to eating them only every other day now.

I think the spiralizer is the most phenomenal gadget I have ever owned… and I do love my little gadgets.

This Butternut Nooch Sauce was developed one day earlier this week. I was challenged to go without eating meat that day, and decided to use some nutritional yeast as as one of my protein sources.  And I figured, why not partner it with one of my favorite foods… Butternut Squash?

I do like nutritional yeast.. it is a bit salty and it has a lot of protein and only a little fat, and lots of Vitamin B.  It is a nice thickener, and sometimes adds a cheesy flavor to a dish as well. 

If you like, you could try coconut milk, instead of almond milk here.  And you can use any Winter Squash in this sauce and get similar results I am sure… and a similar nutrition profile as well. If you are very hungry, eat the whole thing.  I did. If not, save the leftovers in the fridge overnight or share it with a friend.

Butternut Squash Nooch Sauce
Makes 1 large serving

• 1 cup cooked squash, mashed
• 4 Tbs nutritional yeast
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1/2 cup Almond Breeze, unsweetened original flavor

1. Blend all ingredients together well in a medium bowl, and pour over zoodles or regular pasta.
2. Using 2 spoons, toss the sauce with the zoodles to coat them, and then serve.

Per serving, sauce only.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 137; Protein 8g; Carbohydrate 24g; Fat 2g; Fibre 6g.

Printable Recipe

What do you think? Do you use squashes to make sauces, too?

Spicy Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

I decided to celebrate the First Day of Fall by making my first homemade soup of the season!  And a good soup day it was…. gloomy, wet, and quite cool for our little corner of the World for this time of year.

It was like Summer was bidding us a very tearful goodbye!

The Captain has been purchasing lovely locally-grown squashes and sweet potatoes for me this past couple of weeks so I selected a butternut squash for my soup… and then decided to add some sweet potato, too, for a bit of extra thickness, rich color, and of course, great taste!  You know I love me some orange YAM!
I am going to share the proportions and the method I used, but I know you will adjust it to suit your own dietary needs and tastes.  Whenever I make these types of soups, I use the same method…. it’s only the ingredients and spices that tend to change.

And I was fortunate to have some homemade turkey stock on hand today so of course I used that, too.

Spicy Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup
Makes 8 one-cup servings

• 1 Tbs coconut oil
• 1 cup sliced white onion (6 oz.)
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 5 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks (1-1/2 lb.)
• 2 cups sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks (9 oz.)
• 4 cups turkey or chicken broth
• healthy/liberal sprinkling of dried ginger and nutmeg

1. Place coconut oil in a large saucepan over MEDIUM heat and sauté onion and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add squash, sweet potatoes and saute a few minutes more.
3. Add several sprinkles of ginger and nutmeg, stir into veggies,  and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add broth broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and when cooled, blend until smooth with immersion blender.
6. Reheat, to serve, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Garnish with fat free sour cream or Greek yogurt if you like.

Per 1-cup serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3. Not including garnish.
Calories 102 ; Protein 3g; Carbohydrate 20g; Fat 2g; Fibre 3g
 

Cook the onions and garlic till just translucent, not browned.

Add the sweet potato and squash to the pot.

Cook for about half an hour and then let cool.

Puree.  An immersion blender is a very good tool for this job.

Creamy and thick and quite delicious!

Printable Recipe

Do like to make homemade soups, too?  What is your favorite?

Guilt-Free Chips

Do you ever crave a salty, crunchy snack?

Do you love potato chips but feel guilty about eating them?

Here are some ways you can still get that crunchy, crispy chip texture, and salty flavor, without the guilt!

I have been asked several times over the past few weeks about the different veggie chips that I make and talk about so I decided to share them with you.  I cannot take credit for all of these ideas though so I am going to post links to the original recipes and instructions…. I just really want to share the ideas with you here.

The very easiest are these Eggplant Chips. I like to slice them just under 1/4 inch thick and then bake them.  Spritz them with a bit of olive oil and salt before baking.  They are really easy and very good!  The dark spots on the baked chips are where I sliced them a bit thin but they are still tasty, they just don’t LOOK as good.  I know there is a pesto dip recipe there too, which I plan to try after my cilantro grows a bit more!

I make Sweet Potato Chips the same way.  I don’t have a mandolin slicer, so I get The Captain to use his more-developed-than-mine patience muscle to slice through the thick sweet potatoes.  The key is get thin and uniform-in-thickness slices. 

If you can manage to leave them alone till they cool somewhat, they are even tastier.  Sometimes I have them with ketchup…Mmmmmm.

Gabby’s Carrot Chips are honestly somewhat fiddly, and they don’t yield a lot, but they are really tasty so if you have some time and patience, give them a try.  The addition of the cinnamon works!

Oh, and I almost forgot…. Kale Chips are so easy and so tasty, too.  Just wash and sry the kale leaves, spritz with a bit of EVOO and salt  or nooch, and bake them for 15 minutes. I like them with a bit of homemade ketchup too!

About a year and half ago, I picked up a little microwave crisper for veggies, and did a post about it.   It makes truly awesome veggie chips so if you have access to one of these inexpensive little devices, you can make your chips in a couple of minutes in the mike and completely fat free, if that appeals to you.  It is especially great for potatoes and sweet potatoes but I also made zuke chips with it and they turned out really well.

I know that Kierston, who writes CaNdyFiT, also has a microwave crisper… a different one than I have and every time I walk by the display in the store, I think I should have one!  As a matter of fact, last year she did a review/giveaway about the time I first started reading her blog. 

There are a couple of other good looking chip recipes out there that I want to try… Gina’s Butternut Squash Chips look wonderful… and I have heard that beet chips are lovely too.

These veggie chips make good snacks and side dishes… and they are gluten-free, paleo, vegan, Whole30 friendly… use healthy oils, have tons of vitamins and antioxidants and are truly delicious.

What more could you want?

Oh, and for those of you who do eat white potatoes, of course we know those make splendid chips, too!

Do you make your own chips?  What veggie is your favorite?

Easy Curried Vegetables

I have been trying to come up with new ways to eat all of the cauliflower I have been buying! 

I like to have some on hand, in case I get a yen for pizza and need cauliflower to make a crust… or to make paleo cauliflower ‘rice’ to go with whatever stir-fried chicken and veggies or almost any othr dish I am having… Every time I see cauliflower on sale I cannot refrain from buying a head or two!

But sometimes a head of cauliflower sits in the fridge, staring me in the face when I open the door, taunting me… just daring me to use it before it starts to get little specks of brown, indicating it is losing its freshness and needs to be eaten!  Fresh cauliflower really doesn’t stay fresh for more than a few days in the refrigerator.

This Curried Vegetable dish was born of that need… I had a head of cauliflower and a butternut squash that I wanted to turn into something fabulous!  I decided that I really couldn't go wrong with a curry.

 So I washed up the cauliflower and broke it into florets, and I got The Captain to peel the butternut squash and cut it into 3/4-inch chunks… and then I combined them in a large pan with some garlic, onions, mushrooms, green bell pepper, canned tomatoes, and some spices.

It was delicous!  And it smelled wonderful while it was cooking, too.  You could use coconut oil to saute the veggies if you like, but for this dish, I chose to coat the skillet with a non-stick spray to keep the P+ count down to zero.

I do like coconut oil when cooking veg.  But once in a while I like to keep the fat content down, so that I have more leeway in the rest of my meal.  And let's face it... sometimes I would just rather spend my fat grams on almond butter during the day!

I portioned out the leftovers and froze them in individual servings.  They thaw quickly on the counter, and are still a really nice texture afterward… even heated up in the mike!

Curried Vegetables
Makes 6 servings

• 5 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1 cup onions, cut into large dice or chunks
• 1 head cauliflower, washed and broken into florets, about 6 cups
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks, about 1 pound
• 6 mushrooms, cut into large chunks, about 1-1/2 cups
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 large can diced tomatoes (28 oz/796 ml)
• 2 Tbs curry powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Lightly coat a large skillet with non-stick spray and set over MEDIUM heat.
2. Add the garlic and onions and saute till translucent, about 5 or 6 minutes.
3. Add the curry powder and stir to coat the onions and garlic,
4. Add the cauliflower, squash, mushrooms, and green pepper, and canned tomatoes.
5. Stir well and bring to a light boil.
6. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes.  Vegetables should be soft but not mushy when the dish is cooked.
7. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 0.
Calories 113; Protein 5g; Carbohydrate 25g; Fat 0g; Fibre 6g.

A large skillet full of veggies and spices!  Mmmmm.  Smells so good when cooking!

 

The day I made up this dish I served it with some slices of lean roasted pork loin and some green peas…

 

 

And then enjoyed some leftovers with a few Spicy Meatballs.

 

Printed Recipe

 

 

Do you like to experiment with veggies and combinations of veggies?

 

What is your favorite go-to cauliflower dish?

Curried Butternut Squash and Chicken Soup

This thick, hearty and flavorful soup is much like one I have been making since it was first introduced to me a few months ago by Tamara at fitknitchick.  And I intended to make that same Curried Sweet Potato and Chicken Soup again this week, but the butternut squash was such a good price at my local produce market, and the sweet potatoes were not, so I changed course and ended up with this lovely soup instead.  

It is a pretty big batch so you may want to adjust the amounts... I like to have soup stored in individual servings in the freezer ready to pull out and reheat when I am in a hurry or need a quick snack.

This lovely soup works very nicely into my current Whole30 Paleo Challenge and it is also gluten-free.

I used coconut oil instead of olive oil to saute the veggies. I have come to really love the smell of coconut oil cocoking away in my kitchen and have started using it wherever I can!  And you won't be surprised to learn that I used a can of Kirkland chunk chicken breasts.  If you have chicken already cooked, great... or turkey would be very good, too.

I should tell you that I added a dash of ground coriander along with the cumin, but didn't include it on the ingredient list because I don't really think it is necessary.  Use about 3/4 to 1 tsp of it if you like it.

Don't be put off by the color! The green comes from the kale.  It truly is delicious.  And I have to admit, that being a Weight Watcher, I appreciate that the butternut squash has a much lower calorie count than a sweet potato has, too.



Curried Butternut Squash and Chicken Soup
Makes 14 servings, 1 cup each.

• 1 Tbs coconut oil
• 3/4 cup chopped white onion
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 30 ounces)
• 1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
• 1 bunch kale, large stems removed, washed and torn into pieces
• 1-1/2 Tbs ground cumin
• 6 cups water
• 7.5 ounces cooked chicken breast, shredded
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Warm the coconut oil in a stock pot or very large saucepan over MEDIUM heat.
2. Add the garlic and onions and saute about 5 minutes
3. Add the squash and kale and saute till the kale starts to get shiny, about 5 more minutes. Stir occasionally. 
4. Add the cumin and stir to coat the vegetables.
5. Cover the vegetables with the water.
6. Cover the saucepan, bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer and let cook for 45 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about half an hour.
8. Puree with immersion blender or food processor. (Leave a bit chunky.)
9. Add chicken to mixture and heat through.
10. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Per 1 cup serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 2.
Calories 66; Protein 5g; Carbohydrate 10g; Fat 1g; Fibre 2g.

Saute the veggies in the coconut oil.

 



Reheat on the stove to serve.
 
Printable Recipe

Are you a kale fan?  Does the color ever put you off?

Curried Coconut Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup

I love to make soups in the Winter.  The aroma of garlic and onions fills the kitchen with the promise of homemade with love goodness!  I love the rich golden color and the silky texture.  And there are so many lovely local squashes in our local produce markets at this time of year that I want to sample them all.

In getting ready to start a 30 Day Paleo Challenge on January 1st I decided to make up a lovely spicy, nutritious soup, to have on hand for lunches and snacks.  I know that preparing for this challenge is going to be very important to my success on it. 

Normally I like to put a spoonful of fat free yogurt on my vegetable soups when I serve them... stirring the yogurt into the hot soup makes it creamy and rich.  But there is no dairy on the Paleo plan so I decided to use some coconut milk in this soup to take the place of the yogurt (I used a light version - after all I am still a Weight Watcher) and followed that theme by using coconut oil instead of the olive olive I would usually use, too. 

And I have to say, the coconut oil smells wonderful while it cooks.  Mouthwatering, actually!  I will be using it a lot more often.

I prefer to use my homemade turkey stock in recipes like this, but if you don't have turkey or chicken stock on hand, use a couple of bullion cubes and 4 cups of water.  It really does result in a richer flavor than water alone... or use vegetable bullion if you want a vegan soup.



Curried Coconut Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup
Makes 6 servings of 1-1/2 cups each.

• 1 Tbs coconut oil/butter
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped (8 ounces)
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (26 ounces)
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 4 cups turkey stock
• 1 Tbs ground cumin
• 1/2 cup canned light coconut milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the coconut oil/butter in a large stock pot over MEDIUM heat.
2. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and saute till translucent, about 6 or 7  minutes.
3. Add the butternut squash and the carrot pieces and cook another 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the ground cumin to coat the veggies.
5. Add the stock to the pot, cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
6. Lower the heat and leave the soup to simmer for 40 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 15 minutes
8. Purree the soup with your immersion blender or remove to blender jar in batches to purree.
9. Stir in coconut milk and gently reheat before serving.
10. Season with salt and pepper at the table.

At first I wasn't sure if I had added enough cumin to my soup because it didn't seem to be quite as spicy as I would have liked.  But, I resisted adding more, and I placed the cooled soup in 6 different single serving containers and then refrigerated them.  The next day, I heated up 2 servings for The Captain and I to enjoy for lunch, and I noticed that the soup tasted much spicier than it had the day before... guess the cumin just needed a bit of time to do its magic!

It was wonderful!  The rest of the leftovers have been moved to the freezer for now, but it won't be long before they are used up and I will be making another batch!

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 119 ; Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 22g; Fat 4g; Fibre 4g.

Add the cumin to the sauteed veggies...

 

and stir to coat them and let it cook a bit before adding the broth.

 

Cover and bring to boil, then let simmer for about 40 minutes.

 

Gently reheat before serving.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

Printable Recipe

 

 

Are you a homemade soup fan?  What is your favorite kind?

 

Do you like coconut oil?



Cottage Cheese and Squash Breakfast Scramble

So, that leftover cottage cheese...

I used it in a breakfast scramble with an egg and some leftover roasted butternut squash.  It was very quick, very easy, and it was delicious!  You could use any cottage cheese and any cooked squash, but here is how I made it:


Cottage Cheese and Squash Breakfast Scramble
Makes a single serving

• 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese
• 1 whole fresh egg
• 1/4 cup roasted squash

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Place in warm skillet that has been lightly coated with non-stick spray, over MEDIUM heat.  Allow the egg to cook, and stir occasionally, for about 4 or 5 minutes.  The color will change slightly as the egg cooks.
3. Remove to serving plate.
4. Garnish if you like with yogurt or cinnamon or salt and pepper.

Per serving, no toppings.
Weight Watchers P+ = 5.
Calories 180; Protein 21g; Carbohydrate 9g; Fat 7g; Fibre 1g.

Mix your ingredients.

Cook over medium heat... the egg puffs, the cheese melts...

and top it with yogurt!  Tasty and filling... it will easily get you through the morning.

 

 



Winter Soup

We went out for lunch one day this past week, something we rarely do... to get together with the people that we house/kitty sat for the past three winters.  It has been a few months since we have been together and well past time for a visit!

The place we chose is one of those great little out of the way joints, that serves breakfast all day till they close at 3:30 p.m., along with great burgers and some soups, salads, and sandwiches.  The decor is colorful and funky, the serving staff are friendly and the prices are pretty darn good for the wonderful food and upbeat atmosphere.

When we first sat down I checked out the chalkboard for the daily specials and was quite excited to see Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup there... but before we got a chance to order, one of the gals erased it from the sign and replaced it with Winter Broth, Butternut Squash and Kale Soup.  I have to admit I was a bit disappointed but decided to go ahead and have a bowl of soup with a gluten-free corn muffin anyway.  (Just as an aside, there was a message on the chalkboard that said all of the daily soups are dairy and gluten free.)

There was no need for disappointment!   It was delicious... a nicely spiced turkey broth, cubes of butternut squash and chunks of kale.  I couldn't have been happier.

And so I decided to try to make something similar at home.

I didn't have any kale in the fridge so I substituted spinach.  If you don't have turkey broth or chicken broth on hand, you could use bullion cubes instead.  And use whatever kind of oil you like... olive or even coconut would be good, I should think.  And I added onions... 

The Captain is always so helpful when I ask him to pare and cut a butternut squash for me.  And he scooped the seeds and soft flesh from the cavity and then cut the half I used into half-inch cubes as well.  Sometimes I am just not strong enough to cut through the tough shell of these Winter squashes so it is great that he can help me with that.

I got out my soup pot and got started!  I am calling my creation Winter Soup and it goes like this:



Winter Soup
Makes 6 servings.

• 1 tsp vegetable oil (I used a canol/olive oil blend)
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped. about 8 ounces
• 1/2 butternut squash, about 20 ounces
• 4 cups turkey broth
• dashes of cumin, cinnamon, and salt
• 1 cup fresh spinach leaves

1. Gently heat the oil in a large stock pot and cook the onion till translucent, about 7 or 8 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and squash and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Sprinkle seasonings over the veggies and stir in.
4. Add the stock, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and allow to simmer, covered for 40 minutes.
5. To serve, ladle the hot soup into a bowl and toss in a few spinach leaves on the top and stir them in to wilt.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 2.
Calories 79; Protein 4g; Carbohydrate 16g; Fat 1g; Fibre 3g.

I didn't put the spinach into the soup pot because I thought it would get too wilted and break up, but if I were using kale, I would put it into the soup pot for the last 10 - 15 minutes of the simmering process.

Simmering in the soup pot.



Hot soup ladled into a bowl.

 

 

With a bit of spinach tossed in.

 

 

We had this as the main focus of our lunch on Sunday, and we were both quite hungry as we had just come in, stretched, and cooled down, after a 5 km run.  Lunch needed to happen before showers even!  So I added 2 ounces of cooked chicken breast to each bowl, too, before I served it.  For another couple of P+ it was a great way to get in some tasty protein and make the meal more complete.



 

With cooked chicken breast added to the bowl.

 

Delicious and very filling.

 

  



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