My husband recently made this delicious soup from scratch.  I posted pictures of it online and raved about how good it was.  So much so, that several people requested the recipe.  Well, with a little coaxing, I convinced him to sit down and write it out.  Here, for your eating pleasure, is the recipe for his creamy (and, did I mention, VERY tasty) butternut squash based vegetable soup.

It has the right spices to warm you up (plus provide some healing properties) and a good balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat.

Ingredients:

1 medium      Butternut squash 4 medium      Potatoes 5 medium      Carrots 1 each          Red and green bell pepper 1 medium      Zucchini 3 stalks         Celery 1 large          Onion 5 - 6             Roma tomatoes 1 - 2 heads   Broccoli (approx. 2 cups) 1/2 head       Cauliflower (approx. 2 cups) 2 cups          Green lentils 5 - 6 cups     Chicken stock (home made)

1/2 tsp         Turmeric 1 tsp            Garam Masala 1 tsp            Cumin 1 tsp            Basil 1 tsp            Oregano 3 cloves        Garlic Olive oil For a spicier flavour, add about 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

Preparations:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Peel the butternut squash, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds.  Then, slice and chop it into 1" cubes.  Put in bowl, drizzle with a bit of olive oil to coat, then sprinkle with turmeric and stir or toss to coat.  Place in casserole dish lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven for approximately 40 - 45 minutes.

Dice the carrots and potatoes into small (approx. 1/2" square) pieces. Toss in a bowl with a bit of olive oil and the cumin.  Place in casserole dish lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven for approximately 35 - 40 minutes.

Rinse lentils and cook in a pot on the stove.  Add 4 cups of water, bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until all water is gone.

While the other veggies are baking in the oven and the lentils are simmering, dice the remaining vegetables (peppers, zucchini, celery, broccoli, cauliflower and onion) and stir fry with olive oil, basil and oregano.

Once the baked squash cubes are done cooking, allow them to cool for a bit and then blend with the tomatoes and garlic until smooth.  If the consistency is too thick for your blender, you may have to add some water to ensure that everything is blended smooth.  If you wish, you can blend in the cooked lentils too.

Mix all the ingredients into a slow cooker, set to "Low" or "Auto" heat and let simmer for a few hours.  If you don't have a slow cooker, put everything into a large stock pot and simmer (on "Low") on the stove, again for a few hours.

Loreli loves to exercise and loves to eat too!  Her fitness company, Alter Ego Fitness Experience, offers Personal Training, Group Fitness (boot camp) and YogaFit training options.  Loreli is very aware, due to personal experience, of the value of healthy food that not only nourishes the body, but also nourishes the mind and pleases the palate!

“One cannot think well, love well, or sleep well, if one has not dined well.”