April is among us and with that, mother nature’s April fools day joke was snow in Ohio! Just as spring was making its appearance, and us Midwesterners were getting use to not having to bundle up every time we walk out the door, we are hit with a couple inches of snow. If you need a little warm up until spring decides to come back give this butternut squash soup a try! Put it in a crock pot and leave it all day so it is ready for you when you get home from work. This creamy soup will not only warm you up on a cold day but can also protect your body from free radicals as it provides a large does of the antioxidants vitamin A and vitamin C in addition to many other vitamins and minerals!
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: minimum 4 hours
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 sweet onion diced
- 1 medium butternut squash diced (see below for tips on how to cut it!)
- 1 sweet apple diced (or use whatever kind you like best!)
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Toasted nuts (optional)
Directions:
- In a frying pan, sauté onions in olive oil until translucent.
- In a slow cooker, add the sautéed onions, diced butternut squash, diced apples, vegetable broth, salt, and cinnamon and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- When done, add heavy cream and puree the soup until smooth and creamy. To do this you can use an immersion blender or transfer softened ingredients to a blender.
- Top with additional cream and toasted nuts for decoration and enjoy!
Tips on how to cut a whole butternut squash
Start by cutting off the tip of each end of the squash. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the entire squash. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds inside. You can now dice the squash as desired.
Nutrition Facts:
151 calories
9 grams of fat
16 grams carbohydrates
1 gram protein
*nutrition facts may vary based on size of produce and brands of ingredients utilized.