Curried butternut squash soup
Robin Vitetta-Miller
At just 82 calories, 1 cup of cooked butternut squash is brimming with vitamin A (14,352 IU), potassium (582 milligrams) and fiber (6 grams). You can roast this fall favorite with its skin on (treat it just like a potato: Prick with a fork and bake for 45 minutes at 375[degrees] F), or you can steam or simmer it after removing the skin with a vegetable peeler. Here, this sweet and nutritious member of the gourd family is cooked gently in a broth with vegetables and fragrant curry, then pureed into a silky soup. Serve it as a starter for a multicourse dinner or as a simple supper, accompanied by a salad and a whole-grain roll.
Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup diced onion
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
4 cups reduced-sodium
vegetable or chicken broth
2 butternut squash (about
2 pounds each), peeled,
seeded and chopped into
2-inch cubes
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground
black pepper
4 tablespoons fat-free
sour cream
4 teaspoons chopped
fresh chives
Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery and cook 4 minutes, until soft. Add curry powder and cook 1 minute, until curry is fragrant. Add broth, squash, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer 15 minutes, until squash is fork-tender.
Remove bay leaves and, working in batches, puree soup in a blender or food processor. Ladle soup into bowls and top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 1 teaspoon chives.
Nutrition Score per serving (1 1/2 cups): 195 calories, 12% fat (3 g; <1 g saturated), 76% carbs (37 g), 12% protein (6 g), 12 g fiber, 171 mg calcium, 3 mg iron, 783 mg sodium.
–Robin Vitetta-Miller, M.S.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
