Butternut Squash Soup with Sunflower & Pea Microgreens
by Caralyn Aufiero
It’s official- I took the journey into my cluttered closet and pulled my jacket out earlier than usual this year. Just last week I was complaining about the weather being too hot and muggy and now… winter is coming. Every year, fall and spring get shorter while winter and summer reach new extremes. Climate change? Most definitely- but that subject is too heavy for a soup recipe. You know what’s not too heavy? This delicious roasted Butternut Squash Soup. This is the perfect meal for a light lunch or to compliment your favorite choice of protein at dinner.
Last week, I made a Harvest Pasta made from spaghetti squash, tons of roasted veggies and Peashoot Microgreens in a tasty sundried tomato sauce. That was exactly what I needed to get in the mood for fall flavor- and get me hungry for more of autumn’s abundant offerings. This week, I’ll be making a soup that is both delicious and packed with nutrition!
In addition to butternut squash- obviously- I’ll be using carrots, roasted red peppers and Sunflower Microgreens. If you read my last blog post, Why You Need Sunflower Microgreens in Your Apocalyptic Toolbox, you already know how vital these sweet little greens are for your immune system. Sunflower Microgreens have been a long-time natural decongestant according to ancient Ayurveda, who also boasted their ability to prevent upper respiratory infections. This soup is going to keep you healthy- and toasty warm.
Ingredients
1 large butternut squash
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 small red pepper
3 large carrots
2/3 cup of Sunflower Microgreens
4 cups of chicken broth (or veggie broth, if you prefer)
2 tbsp Maple Syrup
¼ cup of EVOO
½ tsp of paprika
½ tsp of chili powder
salt + pepper to taste
Getting Started
After last week’s Harvest Pasta, I am obsessed with roasted vegetables. Not only does it yield the most flavor, but roasting veggies has to be the easiest form of cooking (other than the microwave). Preparing the vegetables for this zesty soup is as simple an hour in the oven!
I chose to roast the butternut squash, a red pepper and carrots. After giving them a quick wash, I peeled my carrots and chopped them up with the red pepper. Once those were clean, it was as simple as putting them on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil and little salt and pepper. Let those cook at 400 Fahrenheit for about an hour- or until you can easily pierce a carrot with a fork.
Again, a lot of this recipe is passive time. The great thing about roasting veggies is it gives you time to multitask- just make sure you’re checking your oven frequently.
Once the veggies are ready to come out of the oven, you’ll have to let them cool down a bit. In the meantime, chop and onion and two cloves of garlic. Cook on medium low heat with your remaining olive oil, until translucent.
Blend it Up!
At this point, all of your ingredients are cooked. All we need to do is throw it together, add in our microgreens and some spices- we’ll be eating in no time!
How are we going to turn all of this a soup? One word: blender. Maybe you’re more practiced in the culinary arts than I am, but I only recently learned this tip. It’s a game changer, to say the least. Just like that silky sundried tomato sauce we made for last week’s Harvest Pasta, we’re going to blend up our ingredients to create a creamy soup!
You may have to blend in two batches, depending on the size of your blender. Feel free to add more or less broth depending on how thick you like your soup.
After everything is blended and seasoned, transfer the contents into a medium-sized pot. Let everything warm up and give it a taste- now is the time to add a little extra spice if you like. I’m going for red chili flakes to compliment this cozy dish. I topped this tasty soup with a heaping pile of Peashoot Microgreens and some sunflower seeds for texture.
If you’re searching for something to kick off the fall season, look no further. Take a picture of the finished product and tag us on Instagram: @GiantGorillaGreens
