Squash – sational Minestrone Soup!

A bowl of minestrone soup – done “right” can provide your body full of nutrients, not to mention a hearty and healthy meal. What makes a minestrone soup new age…well a typical minestrone soup is based in a tomato/beef broth. A tomato broth may taste good to some, but for most people – tomatoes are too hard on their stomach due to their acid content.  Using beef broth… well I am not even going to get into the reasons why to avoid this. You should know me by now – and if you don’t then you will catch on very quickly to the fact that I am not an advocate for beef. You can get just as much flavour, if not more using root vegetables as the base of your soup.

This particular recipe is made with butternut squash and sweet potatoes as the base. These two combined provide a sweet, delicate broth that is alkalizing and delicious. Butternut squash is warming and extremely medicinal to many organs of the body (spleen, pancreas) and stomach. It can improve energy and circulation. This winter squash is also a great source of natural sugars, carbohydrates and beta carotene. The natural sugars in squash are great for people with diabetes and people with other digestive problems. It provides vitamin A and C, potassium iron, riboflavin and magnesium and very low in sodium.

So as you can see, a bowl of this squashy soup is very nourishing and of course delicious. Just like traditional minestrone this soup is chalked full of veggies, bulked up with kidney beans and brown rice macaroni noodles. At this particular time of the year, there is nothing better than a hearty bowl of soup. Squashes are also in season now. Take advantage and make yourself a bowl of yummy minestrone soup!

New Age Minestrone

Ingredients:

1 Spanish onion, cut into large dice

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1-2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

1 ½ teaspoon, sea salt

1 tablespoon dried oregano

4-6 cups filtered water or stock

1 bay leaf

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into medium dice (or roast half squash in oven on 350F for 45 minutes) – then peel flesh away from skin and place in pot

1 sweet potato cut into large dice

3 ribs celery cut into large dice

1 large zucchini or two small zucchini, cut into small chunks

1 bunch of chard, cut into bit size pieces

1 cup soaked and cooked kidney beans (optional)

½ cup cooked macaroni brown rice noodles (optional)

1. In a small pot, sweat onion in oil with garlic and salt until soft.
2. Add oregano and sweat a few more minutes
3. Add water and bay leaf
4. Add vegetables in order given (squash, sweet potatoes, celery, zucchini)
5. Turn up heat until water bubbles, then lower and simmer covered for 40-45 minutes.
6. Stir vegetables until squash falls apart.
7. Add in chopped chard and pre cooked kidney beans and macaroni noodles.
8. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Stir a few more times and serve.

*** For a smoother texture, simmer squash separately until soft (in 1-2 cups of water), and puree in food processor. Add squash to the soup for the last 10 minutes of cooking.

That's Amore!