Indian Butternut Squash Soup

On cold winter days where you need a little extra warmth, cooking up a pot of this creamy and flavorful soup will do the trick.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butter, unsalted
  • 1 large chopped yellow onion
  • 2 large peeled and sliced carrots
  • 1 2.5-lb butternut squash (peeled, seeded, and cubed)
  • 6 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1-1/2 tsp garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup of heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp ginger, minced
  • 1 tsp coriander, ground
  • 1 tsp cumin, ground
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • pinch of turmeric
  • pinch of cloves, ground
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1) Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the squash, onion, and carrots. Sauté for five minutes or until the onion softens. Pour in the broth and simmer for 15 minutes partially covered.

2) Add the cloves, cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne, garlic, cinnamon, and turmeric. Stir and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

3) Pour small batches of the mixture into a blender or food processor to puree until the entire mixture has been processed.

4) Pour the puree into the pot and add the cream. Heat the soup until warm, not boiling. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Roasted Acorn Squash

A perfect appetizer, this recipe combines the creamy flavor of acorn squash with the savory taste of spices and sesame seeds. Grab a few while you can because if you try to go back for seconds, there will be none.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp of sesame seeds
  • 1-1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
  • 2 small acorn squashes, seeded and cut into wedges
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp coriander, ground
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1) Preheat the oven to 400°F while toasting the sesame seeds in a skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown. Toss in the cumin seeds and continue to toast until fragrant. This should take around 30 seconds. Move seeds to a bowl to allow them to cool.

2) On a baking sheet, pour in the olive oil, squash wedges, and coriander. Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Spread the pieces out and bake for 10 minutes.

3) Remove baking sheet. Sprinkle the seeds onto the squash wedges to coat them. Flip the wedges and bake for 15 more minutes or until golden brown.

Apple-Braised Tempeh and Butternut Squash Casserole

This casserole is healthy and easy to prepare. Simply cut a few vegetables, add some spices, and stick it in the oven for an hour.

Ingredients

  • 1 8 oz package of tempeh, cubed
  • 1 large apple, cubed
  • 1 pound of frozen butternut squash, cubed
  • 1/4 cup onion, chopped
  • 3 sliced cloves of garlic
  • 2 cups of vegetable broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp of thyme
  • 1 tsp of rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp of salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • Cooked brown rice to serve

Instructions

1) Set the oven to 400°F. In an 8″ by 11″ casserole dish, spread the squash, apple, tempeh, garlic cloves, and onions.

2) Mix the broth, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper together and then pour it over the vegetables in the casserole dish.

3) Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove foil and place casserole dish back into the oven for 40 more minutes.

4) Remove from oven and serve over brown rice.