Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup

For the last FOUR years, in the month of January I have either been pregnant or had a small infant attached to me. In either case I was never concerned with starting the year with a diet, a cleanse or anything of the sort. However, this year, I am neither pregnant or busy with a new baby (phew!) and I am a bit more interested in making some positive changes to my diet (at least for a while!). A month or two of too many sweets (anyone who reads this regularly will not find that hard to believe) and too many cocktails gives me a hankering for some clean living!

I am going to start with plowing through my vegetable bins, which are truly overflowing with gorgeous produce begging to be used. What better opportunity to use them? Please Look forward to fresh and healthy soups, salads and (hopefully) some inventive new ways to eat your veggies!

I am kicking this off with “Butternut Squash-Carrot Soup”. It is rich in vitamin A,C , magnesium, potassium and beta carotene. Oh, also, it is really delicious.

Easy to make, this soup is just chop, simmer, puree and serve- my favorite way to eat soup! By the way- Pia loved this so much that she was eating it straight from the pot- so there is hope for parents of small children everywhere!

Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup

1 yellow Onion, rough chopped
4 cups Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped into about 1” pieces
2 cups Carrots, peeled and chopped into about 1” pieces
8 cups Vegetable Stock
Kosher Salt to taste
(heavy cream and chives to garnish- if you want to go the healthier route, skip the cream!)

In a large pot, add the oil and onion and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Add the squash and the carrots to the pot, sprinkle with kosher salt and toss with the oil and onions.

Cover with the vegetable stock.

Simmer covered for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and tender.

Remove the soup from the heat and puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a traditional blender. Season with kosher salt to taste.

Bring the soup back to a simmer in the pot and serve hot.

I garnished the soup with a drizzle of heavy cream (or not!) and a few fresh snips of chives.