Soup Obsessed

Fall is the beginning of soup season, right? Well, I love soup. Okay, I basically love anything that goes well with a piece of buttered bread, (weird obsession), but soup is great for many reasons. One of my favorite being that, most, are packed with nutrients from all the fresh ingredients. Not to mention, you’ll have leftovers for days.

Last year, I tried an amazing butternut squash soup. I searched the internet far and wide to find a recipe that would compare. I tried multiple and couldn’t find one that I absolutely loved. Lucky for me, my friend, Jackie, had a recipe she loved, so we got together and made magic!

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 fennel bulb chopped
• 1 yam cut into chunks
• 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 3 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable)
• thyme
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• salt and pepper added to your liking

Instructions:

• add butter, fennel, and shallots to pot (you’ll want a large pot). Let them cook for about 10 minutes. Be sure to stir often.
• Add your chopped yam, butternut squash, and maple syrup. Be sure to mix everything well
• Add your chicken broth, thyme (about 1/2 a handful), and bay leaf. Turn the stove to simmer, and let everything sit for about 20-25 minutes until yams and squash are tender
• Remove the bay leaf from the pot before you puree the squash and yams
• You can either use an immersion blender, or remove the soup little by little and puree in the blender.
• grab a bowl and enjoy!

Benefits:

• Butternut squash contains vitamins A and C, so is great for healing your skin and for helping to prevent fine lines and wrinkles.
• Not only are yams great for a natural boost of energy, they also contrain vitamins A and C, they are loaded with antioxidants and are a great source of fiber.