Apple Butternut Squash Soup Just in Time for Thanksgiving!!

Ahhhhh, Thanksgiving is just around the corner.  For those of you who haven’t gone shopping for your Turkey Day feast, here is a great recipe for you.  And surprise surprise – no turkey here.  I enjoy the fixins but not any of that fake turkey stuff.  Staying away from the over processed products as much as I can.  I have my weaknesses (fakin), but I can do without the other “look like meat” products. 

Add this great Apple Butternut Squash Soup with the special ingredient of red lentils.  When the red lentils are pureed with the soup you can’t even tell they are in there.  Plus, they don’t need to be soaked because they are so small.  By roasting the squash instead of boiling it, a layer of complexity and a sweet caramelization develops.

This soup is chock full of nutrients and a great cold buster.  Butternut squash is super high in Vitamin A and pretty substantial in Vitamin C, Manganese, and Potassium.  It is also a good source of Vitamin E, bunch of B’s, Calcium and Magnesium.  The apples add even more Vitamin C and fiber.  Red lentils add more fiber, protein, Folate, Iron, Copper, and Manganese.  Ginger is great for digestion, cold prevention, migraine relief, and pain and inflammation.  Nutmeg is good for brain stimulation, pain relief, indigestion and cleansing.  I didn’t know this soup was so beneficial!!!

Also check out our previous blogs for additional information and recipes for the fall:

Gotta Love Them Apples!

Beans Beans Glorious Beans

MoreSquash and Pumpkin Ideas

Eating What’s in Season

Grab the ingredients at the grocery store when you go out and give your friends and family a treat for Thanksgiving!!

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Apple Butternut Squash Soup

Olive Oil Sprayer

1t Olive oil

2 Apples, medium, chopped, peeled optional

3/4c Onions, chopped

1t Ginger, fresh grated

1/2t Nutmeg

1/4t Ground red pepper

2c Vegetable broth

6c Water

1c Red lentils

3c Butternut squash, 1” cubes, peeled optional

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F.  Spray a baking sheet with the olive oil and place the cubed butternut squash in a single layer.  Spray with more olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss.  Roast for about 30 minutes tossing after 15 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, prepare the remaining ingredients.  Add 1 t olive oil to pot.  Add the chopped onions and apples.  When soft, add nutmeg, ginger, and red pepper.  Stir.  Wait a minute or so until you can smell the spices come alive and fragrant.  Add broth, lentils and water.  Simmer for 30 minutes. 

Remove squash from oven and add to simmering soup.  Cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Puree in blender or using a stick blender.  Be careful as the soup is HOT.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with fresh ginger and nutmeg.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Serves 8, about 1 cup each

Level of difficulty - Intermediate.

3 pp

Printable Apple Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Pear Crisp

Fall fruits make great pies, cobblers, and crisps. I chose the CRISP option to keep it lower in fat and calories although I do have an awesome crust recipe.  (To be shared at a later date :).)  This is another fun texture recipe.  Big or small pear slices.  The crumbly top.  The sweet and tart of the fruit and lemon juice.

I used pears but you can use apples, berries, or a combination of fruits.  The fall is perfect for pears, apples, cranberries, persimmons, and almonds.  This recipe is not very sweet.  You may want to add more maple syrup or sugar if you want it sweeter.  Maple syrup is an excellent source of zinc and manganese. 

The "crisp" part is nice and light.  You can make as much or as little as you like and use dairy free spread or butter.  Your choice!!  Oats provide a great source for fiber, selenium and manganese.  This is an easy recipe to add a little bit of flax to for those added benefits.    Flax is rich in fiber, minerals and vitamins ~ Magnesium (nerve transmission)*, Phosphorus (formation of cells)*, Copper (iron absorption)*, Thiamin (energy)* and Manganese (cell regeneration)* to mention a few.  (Funky Flax Facts) 

Watch the video, print the recipe, prepare any one of the dishes and you'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"

*Read on...Harvard Help Guide and Healthy Check Systems

Pear Crisp ~ Vegan 

Topping

1c      Quick Rolled Oats

1/3c  Brown sugar

1/2c  Whole wheat flour

1T      Flax seed meal

1t       Cinnamon

1/2t    Nutmeg (Or 1-1/2t Pumpkin pie spice)

1/4c   Butter or margarine (VEGAN)

Filling

8c      Pears (approx 11 pears), quartered lengthwise and sliced*

Juice from one lemon

1T      White flour

1t       Cinnamon

1/4c   Maple syrup

Spray 8” pie dish with vegetable oil. Set aside. (Or use ramekins or lined cupcake tins for individual servings) Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine sliced pears, lemon juice, white flour, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Pour into prepared pie dish.

In same bowl, mix dry ingredients of topping - oats, brown sugar, flour, flax meal, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add cold butter (or margarine) and mush together with hands until crumbly. Spread evenly over filling.

Bake for 30 minutes or until filling is soft when pierced with a fork. If topping gets too dark, cover with foil.

* Substitute apples, plums, peaches, rhubarb, berries, etc or a combination of a few.

 Pear Crisp Printable Recipe