Soup-er Saturday!

Butternut Squash and Pear Soup?  Yes, please!

On a cold day, there is nothing like soup to warm you up. , and Butternut Squash and Pear Soup is one of my favorites! I live in Southern Ontario, just west of Toronto, right on the lake, and today I went for a brisk walk along the water.  Man, that wind was bracing!  There's a hint of snow in the wind, but nothing on the ground yet.

After my walk, the first thing I did, was go into my fridge and pull out one of my jars of soup. On Sundays, I will make a batch of soup, and pour them into mason jars for lunches and dinners through the week. 

So easy to make and store!

The soup pictured here is my hearty Vegetable with Quinoa, which was absolutely yummy!

Today, I'm going to share with you one of my favourite, and fairly easy soup to make.

Preparation time is about 45 minutes if you're roasting your squash yourself.  

If you don't have time to roast the squash, you can buy already cubed squash at your grocery store, or a can of organic puree.  

This is a brand I like to use and it can be found in most stores.

Soup is not hard to make

I've had many people tell me that they would love to have 'from scratch' soup more, but they believe that soup is difficult to make.  

Here's the thing - homemade soup is one of the easiest, nutritious AND budget friendly meals to make.

From start to finish, it shouldn't take more than an hour to make.  Of course, to really develop the flavors in soup, you can leave it to simmer on the stove, or in the slow cooker for a few more hours.

Below I'm sharing a favorite of mine (and my clients) that I'd love for you to try out!

CURRIED ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND PEAR SOUP (DAIRY FREE)

I love the earthy and comforting taste of root vegetables, especially when they're in a soup!  Sometimes I  add sweet potatoes and/or carrots and switch the pear to an apple.  This is a 'go-to' meal in my home.  

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• One yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp curry powder (I like Simply Organic brand of spices)
• Large butternut squash 
• 2 pears (you can also substitute with apples)
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 6 cups of vegetable stock (I will often do half water and stock for a lighter broth)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut the butternut squash in half, scoop out seeds and strings, brush lightly with 1 tbsp olive oil and roast in 350 degree oven until soft (about 30 - 45 minutes)

2. Dice/cube the onion and pears.

3. Melt 2 tbsp of coconut oil in a large soup pot, and add the onions, pears and garlic. 

4. Cover and saute on medium-low heat for 10 minutes (until onions and pears are transparent)

5.  Add the curry powder to the vegetables and allow to toast for 2 - 4 minutes.

6. Then add roasted butternut squash and vegetable stock  (add more water or stock to almost cover the veggies), and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.  

7. Use an immersion blender in pot or scoop everything into a food processor or blender until puréed.  (be careful with the hot soup as it really burns!)

8.  Add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and garnish with twigs or rosemary or cilantro leaves.

9. Enjoy!

Comment below what your favorite soup is!