Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
• 4 cups peeled butternut squash (from a 2-pound squash), cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, coarsely chopped
• 2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried sage (or 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage)
• 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons nonfat, plain Greek yogurt

Directions

1. Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add oil. Once oil is shimmering, add the squash, onion, celery, carrots, and apple. Sauté until the vegetables are golden and starting to soften, about 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Add the chili powder and sage, and cook for 30 seconds longer.
3. Add the broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the squash is very soft, about 40 minutes.
4. At this point, you can serve the soup as a chunky soup, or you can proceed with the next steps. If you have a blender, work in batches by adding a few cups of soup to the blender at a time and mixing until smooth. Be careful as the soup is very hot!  Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to purée the soup in the pot. A third option is to use a potato masher to mash the soup ingredients in the pot. Again, be careful!
5. Add salt and pepper. Stir in the yogurt. Enjoy!

Variations & Tips

• In place of the chili powder and sage, use a combination of cinnamon, allspice and/or nutmeg for a sweeter soup.
• Feel free to use low sodium chicken broth instead of vegetable broth if that is what you have available.
• You can use canned or fresh pumpkin instead of butternut squash. If using canned, make sure it is pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
• This soup can easily be frozen to make a delicious future meal. Just don’t add the yogurt if you plan to freeze it. You can add the yogurt once you thaw and reheat the soup, just before serving.
• If you have leftover squash, toss it with olive oil in a large bowl; season with salt and black pepper. Arrange coated squash on a baking sheet. Roast in a 425°F oven until squash is tender and lightly browned, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

YIELD: 8 servings (about 1 cup per serving)

Calories: 112 per serving, Carbohydrates: 20g, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 7g (0.6g added sugar), Protein: 2.2g, Fat: 3.8g, Saturated fat: 0.6g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 181mg

SOURCE: adapted from SkinnyTaste.com

Watch the cooking demo video below for extra tips and guidance!