Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This soup was amazing and super healthy.  It did take a little while to make, which most soups do, but it was well worth the wait!

I realized last night, in the almost 5 years that we have been married, I have never used my roasting pan.  I broke it in last night.

This is a great soup to make for someone who is vegetarian, vegan, or dairy free.  I loved the flavor and the guiltless feeling of knowing it was super good for you too!

I had no idea if Alex was going to like it, but he did!  He was pleasantly surprised at the sweet and rich flavor the soup had.

I got this recipe from Tosca Reno's cook book that goes along with The Eat Clean Diet.  I highly recommend both the book, The Eat Clean Diet Recharged, and the cook book.  I like her approach to good nutrition vs. being so focused on cutting foods out or just losing weight.

Let me know what you think!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Source:  The Eat Clean Diet Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large butternut squash
• 1 sweet onion, cut into large chunks
• 1 bulb of garlic
• 1/2 tsp.  rice bran oil (I used olive oil)
• 2 cups low-sodium, low fat chicken or vegetable stock (I used one can of what I had in the pantry)
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste
• ground nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Prepare a large roasting pan by pouring the 1/3 cup of olive oil into it, letting it coat the bottom.  Cut the squash in half and remove seeds and string.  Place squash in roasting pan, cut side down.  Prick the skins with a sharp knife.  Place onion around the squash.  Using a sharp knife cut the top of the garlic bulb off and drizzle with rice bran oil or olive oil. (NOTE:  before cutting off the top of the garlic, hold over the sink and rub all the excess coating off the garlic so it doesn't come off in the pan.)  Place in the roasting pan with the other vegetables.  Bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until tender.  Remove and let stand.  

The roasted garlic makes this dish!

Scrape the baked squash into a large stock pot.  (I held the squash with an oven mitt because it was still warm)  Add the roasted onion and squeeze roasted garlic flesh in as well.  (some of the onion was a little over cooked, don't add this because it will give it a burnt flavor:)).  Add chicken stock and lime juice and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Using a hand blender (or other food processor) to puree the soup until it is evenly smooth.  Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with nutmeg, salt and pepper (since I used regular chicken broth I did not need to add any salt).