Curried Butternut Soup with Ginger

The inspiration for this soup was a beautiful butternut squash that had been decorating

my table for over a month.  And that is just one of the great things about winter squash . . . you have a ready supply of a super-nutritious and delicious vegetable on hand.

The deep-orange colour of butternut squash is a sign of protective carotenoids (mainly beta-carotene), which can act as an antioxidant, inhibit cancer cell growth, and improve immune response. A number of studies suggest that diets rich in carotenoid-containing foods can help discourage the development and progression of several types of cancer.

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized butternut squash
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated or chopped ginger
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 cup 1% milk (or any other milk, coconut milk would also be tasty)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.  Cook squash (you have a few options here, depending on how much time you have – see how to cut and cook squash).  If you have time (about 40-60 minutes), I recommend you roast the whole squash – this is the easiest method and I was surprised how well it worked.

2.  In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes.  Add the curry powder, and ginger.

3. Stir in cooked squash, broth, and milk.  You should have about 3 cups of cooked squash, but don’t worry about exact measurements (just adjust your broth/milk depending on if you prefer a thinner or thicker soup). Simmer for about 5 minutes.

4. Puree the soup in a blender (an immersion blender will work, but the texture won’t be as smooth).

5. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

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