A New Year, A New Recipe - Kabocha Squash Soup

Wow I can’t believe this is my first post of 2014! This year has been a whirlwind so far and it’s only just begun! 2013 ended on such a high note that I’m really hoping it continues forward. So far, it hasn’t disappointed. The main reason why this is my first post of the year was due to an amazing vacation that took us around Australia and parts of SE Asia. It was truly amazing and I feel very blessed to be able to do something that special, especially being able to share in that experience with those that I care about.

Now that I’m home, I’m slowly starting to settle back in to day to day life. It might not be quite as exciting as traveling, but I missed my family and friends here and I’m glad to be back. Plus, I was really starting to miss a good home cooked meal. As much as I love eating out, nothing beats a good ol home cooked meal!

So to start the year off right, I decided I would share a light and healthy soup recipe that’s quick and easy to make. Perfect for those busy work days and chilly evenings. I’ve found that kabocha squash aka Asian pumpkin is often creamy than butternut squash and has a more robust flavour.

Nutritional Tidbit: Not only are kabocha squashes tasty, they’re also extremely healthy, loaded with vitamin A in the form of beta carotene, which the body then converts in to vitamin A. Beta carotene is also considered an antioxidant, inhibiting the oxidation of molecules in our bodies and preventing free radical damage. Although remember not to overeat just squash, the body still requires a balanced diet to maintain its nutrient needs.

 

Kabocha Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 medium sized Kabocha Squash, peeled and cut in to 1 inch cubes (the smaller the cubes the faster it’ll cook)

1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can low sodium chicken stock
3 cups water
Salt and pepper
Dash of nutmeg (optional)
Dash of cayenne (optional)

Preparation:

In a medium sized stock pot, pour in a tbsp of oil, add in the onions, garlic and kabocha squash.  Allow it to saute for roughly 5 mins or until onions become translucent.

Add in the chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil.

Turn down the heat and allow to simmer for roughly 30 mins or until the chunks of squash are tender. Test this by using a fork to poke several pieces of squash.

Either remove the contents of the pot in to a blender to mix the ingredients or use an immersion blender right in the pot (what I normally do to avoid pouring hot liquids). Just be careful either way since you’re dealing with hot liquids.

Taste the soup and flavour with salt and pepper to taste. Add nutmeg and cayenne for a bit of an extra kick.

Serve with a dash of pepper and cayenne on top or cilantro.

Serves  4

Enjoy!