Thursday, February 12, 2009

Curried Butternut Squash-Sweet Potato Soup

Hi to everyone still hanging around here!! It's been so long since I've updated I wouldn't blame you at all if you've given up on me!! I do have several things to post about, I'm just having trouble finding the time to actually sit down, transfer pictures from camera to computer, then transfer to blogger, and finally write something interesting about them.

I just made this soup last night, so I guess I'll start with this. It comes from a recipe my mother in law sent over from Ireland, but I did change it slightly, which I hope added to the yumminess. The original recipe did not call for roasting of the squash and potatoes, but I opted to take the extra time and roast them first to intensify their flavors. I just love the taste of roasted butternut squash.

This recipe makes a HUGE batch of soup, and is very filling, so there will be tons of left over soup to freeze. I froze several single serving containers for Rob to take to lunch, and a few double batches to have on hand for quick dinners. Unfortunately the girls weren't big fans and ended up eating Light Life Smart Deli "Ham" sandwiches.

Curried Butternut Squash-Sweet Potato Soup

1 Tbs spoon Olive Oil (plus more for drizzling squash before roasting)

1 butternut squash (weighing a little less than 1 pound)

2 large sweet potatoes (again, a little less than 1 lb)

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 Tbs curry powder

4 cups quality vegetable stock

9 oz plain soy creamer

torn basil leaves for garnish

Preheat oven to 425. Peel and dice butternut squash, place on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat and roast about 25 minutes, until tender. In the meantime, roast sweet potatoes in their skins on same baking sheet. Remove from oven and cool until you can handle the potatoes.

Heat remaining Tbs olive oil over medium heat, add onion and garlic and cook until soft. Add curry powder and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Add sweet potatoes, squash and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes. Using a hand held blender or food processor, puree soup. Stir in soy cream and heat through. Ladle into serving bowls and top with basil leaves.


I served this soup with a big salad and some home made bread. I'm working on a good whole wheat sandwich bread, but I haven't quite perfected it yet. My girls eat a lot of bread and I hate to give them store bought bread. There are only a few brands that I can buy that haven't been processed on a line with peanuts, and some of those brands don't have the best ingredients in it. So, I've set out on a quest to make my own. I've gotten quite good at specialty breads (thanks to Vegan Dad), but my kids really like their sandwiches on that chewy, airy and not at all crumbly store bought stuff. As of now it's not completely whole wheat because I can't find any whole wheat bread flour. Right now we stand at about 2 parts whole wheat flour to one part unbleached bread flour, but as soon as I find some whole wheat bread flour I hope to have a recipe for 100% whole wheat sandwich bread.


2 comments:

  1. Good luck with the bread recipe! And be sure to divulge the secrets once you're done :P
    The soup sounds lovely; an amply flavorful and filling appetizer or main dish with your lovely bread :)

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  2. I'm very disappointed by this entry. Onions NOR garlic are part of an actual yogic diet. Please do your research on what an actual yogic diet consists of. Onions and garlic are not good for meditation. The goal of yoga is to unite with the Supreme. We do this by purifying our consciousness. Yoga is not some sequence of physical exercises, but a science of self-realization. In India's essential spiritual classic, the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna informs Arjuna about the different yogic paths--Karma, Dhyana, and Bhakti. Please read this book to understand the goal of yoga. The edition from A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is the most respected translation of the Gita, as it is coming from a bonafide line of spiritual masters handed down through disciplic succession originating back to the Supreme.

    Anyway, the food we eat affects our consciousness. Yogis have long demonstrated thousands of years ago that onions and garlic are wretched for the mind. In addition, they inhibit proper amino acid assimilation in the body, which is not ideal for a vegetarian diet. Instead of using onions and garlic, the spice "hing" or "Asofaetida" can be used. Thank you for considering this and doing your research.
    Your servant,
    Shannon O'Laughlin

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