Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 2 inch cubes
3 apples, peeled, cored and sliced.

1 teaspoon cinnamon
8 cups stock or water

Directions:

In a large pot warm oil
Carmelize onion, sautéing 10-15 minutes until golden brown
Add squash cubes, apple slices and cinnamon and cook for 10 minutes
Pour stock into pot and bring mixture to a boil
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes
In a Vitamix, puree soup in very small batches (for safety)
Serve hot

Here are some notes on this recipe:

• Feel free to make this soup with other types of winter squash such as pumpkin, acorn, delicata, etc.
• I used a 2 ½ pound butternut squash for this recipe (weight is prior to peeling and de-seeding)
• Experiment with other warming spices such as ginger and nutmeg
• I used Braeburn apples in this soup; feel free to experiment with other types of apples

Squash is a very healthy, hearty, nutrient dense vegetable, full of carotenoids and other beneficial antioxidants. Further, it is thought that squash is both anti-inflammatory and helpful in regulating blood sugar.

(Recipe and notes can be found at elanaspantry.com.)