soup

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

by Lisa on February 4, 2013

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

A few weeks ago, on a cold day, my boss and I braved the wind and walked to Devon & Blakeley for lunch. It’s not that convenient to my office so I don’t go there often but when I do, I’m always blown away by the number of soups they offer each day and the fact that they let you taste them before you order. This one day I tried the loaded baked potato soup and MAN did I want to eat it. But I knew for the soup to taste that good it had to be full of cream, cheese and bacon. That day I opted instead for the Butternut Squash and Apple soup and I am so glad I did. So glad that as soon as I had one bite, I knew I had to make it at home for myself, or risk spending all of my money at Devon & Blakeley this winter.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

The thing is, I’m pretty sure that despite the huge butternut squash and apple flavors in the soup there must be a lot of cream making the soup rich and smooth. I wanted to make a version that would pack the same punch with less calories. Let me tell you, this recipe does that and a little more. Not only does it have the fresh flavor of butternut squash with a hint of sweetness from apples, it also has a great kick of Indian-inspired spice. Incorporating cumin, coriander, ginger and cayenne pepper elevates this recipe to be more than just a smooth and comforting bowl of soup, it gives you a little kick with every bite.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

At only 138 calories and 2.3 grams of fat per serving, you won’t regret eating this soup for dinner. And lunch the next day.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

by The Splattered Apron

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Keywords: soup/stew dairy-free butternut squash apple Indian

Ingredients (serves 6)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and chopped
4-5 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped, I used organic pink lady apples
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 1/2 cups water, plus more if needed

Instructions

Over medium heat, melt the butter in a large pot, like a Dutch oven.

Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes until the onion begins to soften.

Add the butternut squash and cook for about 10 minutes, until the squash is soft.

Add the balance of the ingredients, plus enough water to cover. Stir and then bring the pot to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft.

Using an immersion blender {or working in batches with a blender or food processor} puree all of the soup until smooth. I like the texture as it is, but if you’d like a thinner consistency, add water and stir well to combine.

Serve immediately with some crusty bread for dipping.

Store in the refrigerator in an air tight container for 3 days or freeze for up to a month.

To make this recipe vegan, substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Enjoy!

Recipe from Martha Stewart.

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{ 11 comments }

Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Revisited

by Lisa on January 15, 2013

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I took a very scientific unofficial poll on Facebook and Twitter to find out what type of recipe my readers wanted—sweet or savory. Savory won! So here’s a savory recipe for you that seems indulgent but is actually very light. Just check out the nutritional facts at the bottom of the post!

I’m a big fan of soup, especially hearty, creamy soups in the winter. What I am not a fan of is the amount of calories and fat that come in a teeny tiny bowl of thick and creamy soup. It’s just not fair that in January, right when it’s time to hunker down and stay warm, it’s also time to work off the excess indulgences of the holiday season.

In this season, one of my very favorite soups is Broccoli Cheddar. I love how creamy and cheesy it is while still providing a punch of green vegetables to my diet. With the help of Silk PureAlmond Unsweetened Original, the creamy texture remains while cutting the calories from using skim milk by 21 calories per serving and drastically reducing the amount of sugar in the recipe—from 5.4 grams per serving to .9 grams per serving. There is still a small amount of cheddar which provides a subtle cheesy flavor with the addition of nutritional yeast enhancing the cheesiness of the soup. I promise, you won’t miss the cream and extra cheese and those skinny jeans you found under the Christmas tree will thank you. {I wasn’t the only one who found skinny jeans under the Christmas tree, right?}

I made a version of this soup before, but I wanted to try and make it almost completely dairy-free. If you omit the cheddar and substitute a non-dairy cheese, it can be.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Revisited

by The Splattered Apron

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Keywords: soup/stew vegetarian

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Ingredients (serves 4)

3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 heads of broccoli, cut into florets
1 1/2 cups Silk PureAlmond Unsweetened Original
1.5 Tablespoons arrowroot
3 cups vegetable broth
pinch of nutmeg
6 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon creamy Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4-1/3 cup of cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper

Instructions

In a large pot, like a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over a medium flame.

Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 3-4 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the almondmilk and arrowroot, whisking until no clumps remain.

Add the milk and vegetable broth to the pot. Season with a pinch of nutmeg. Next, add the broccoli, nutritional yeast, and Dijon mustard and garlic powder. Stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover and bring to a simmer over low heat for 17 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to cook for another 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and puree the soup using an immersion blender or regular blender. If you use a regular blender, do it in batches and be sure to use a kitchen towel to protect your hand as you hold the cover on the blender and allow the steam to escape.

Stir in the grated cheese. Freshly grated cheese melts much better than packaged shredded cheese.

Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Serve immediately.

Nutrition Label Broccoli Cheddar Soup The Splattered Apron

To find more recipes featuring Silk Pure Almondmilk, check out the Facebook page!

Enjoy!

This post is part of a sponsored campaign with Silk and FitFluential, LLC. All opinions are my own. Learn more about Silk Pure Almond Unsweetened on Facebook and Twitter.

{ 12 comments }

French Onion Soup, Revisited

by Lisa on January 8, 2013

So I did a dumb thing. After migrating to this URL, I deleted my original blog and when I did that, I lost all of the photos in my first 5 months of posts. And I never went back to replace them. Instead, I’ve started to remake those recipes and take new pictures. Let’s be honest, my food photography is not that great but it is leaps and bounds better than it used to be.

I shared this recipe for the first time only a few months after starting my blog, so let’s take another look at it. French onion soup is one of my favorites. I love when it’s served piping hot with a big crust of cheese melted over the top with a nice thick crouton beneath. While this recipe is not served in that way, the flavor is all there and is the perfect way to enjoy this restaurant favorite at home.

French Onion Soup

by The Splattered Apron

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Keywords: soup/stew

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Ingredients (serves 6-8)

2 1/2 pounds yellow onions, halved, and sliced 1/4-inch thick {about 8 cups}
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup of sherry
1/2 cup brandy or Cognac {I use brandy, we actually had some in the house!}
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
8 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
grated Gruyere

Instructions

Melt the butter in a good-sized pot. I used my Dutch oven. Then add the onions and bay leaf. Sauté for 20 minutes over medium-high heat, until they have a nice golden color but are not browned.

Next, deglaze the pan with the sherry and brandy. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, then add the wine. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Next, add the beef stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered.

While the soup is simmering, slice the baguette into 1-inch thick rounds. Top with grated Gruyere then broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Remove the bay leaf from the soup, add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf from the soup, add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls, top with a baguette round with cheese and more grated Gruyere, if you’re a fan of cheese.

I made a big pot of this soup for my family a couple of days after Christmas. While certainly not light food, this bowl of soup was warm and comforting after the hectic pace of Christmas. Even Caroline loved it!

I’m glad it’s only January—means we have a couple more months to enjoy soup. This one will most definitely be gracing our table again soon.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa.

{ 6 comments }

Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Revised

by Lisa on March 7, 2012

lightbroccolicheddarsoup

Not shockingly, a lot of my favorite dishes are chock full of fat. Why wouldn’t they be? Fat tastes good! But here’s the thing. Foods full of fat weigh me down, literally and figuratively. Recently, I was craving one of the heaviest soups I can think of—broccoli cheddar soup. I almost always give in to my cravings, but I knew I could make a better version of this soup. A lighter version. I didn’t cut out the fat completely, but it has been drastically reduced and still tastes delicious.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

by The Splattered Apron

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Keywords: boil blender soup/stew vegetarian

Ingredients (serves 4)

6 Tablespoons butter {I said lighter, not perfect }
1 small onion, diced
3 heads of broccoli, cut into florets
1 1/2 cups 1% milk
1.5 Tablespoons arrowroot
3 cups vegetable broth
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper
6 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon creamy Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4-1/3 cup of cheddar cheese, grated

Instructions

In a large pot {I used my Dutch oven} melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 3-4 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the milk and arrowroot, whisking until no clumps remain.

Add the milk and vegetable broth to the pot. Season with a pinch of nutmeg. Next, add the broccoli, nutritional yeast, Dijon and garlic powder. Stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover and bring to a simmer over low heat for 17 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to cook for another 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and puree the soup using an immersion blender or regular blender. If you use a regular blender, do it in batches and be sure to use a kitchen towel and allow the steam to escape.

I used my immersion blender and left the soup a little chunky.

Stir in the grated cheese. {I always grate my cheese as needed, prepared cheese doesn’t seem to melt as well.}

Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

lightbroccolicheddarsoup

Serve, garnished with a little more cheese.

Holy moly. I had a feeling this would be tasty, but I didn’t know it would be this good.

lighterbroccolicheddarsoup

I honestly don’t think I’ll ever make a full fat version again. This soup is so creamy you’ll never miss the half and half or whole milk.

lighterbroccolisoup

There is not a lot of cheddar in the soup, so the nutritional yeast gives the dish a deliciously cheesy flavor.

lightbroccolicheesesoup2

Even Dixie wanted in on the action.

lightbroccolisoup

I consider this craving satisfied. Now, what can I do about all of the donuts I want to eat….

lighterbroccolisoup

Enjoy!

{ 1 comment }

Soup’s On {Vegetable Minestrone}

by Lisa on November 15, 2011

When I had my tonsils removed a couple of years ago, friends sent me yogurt, pudding, tea, homemade sorbet and even a cheesecake. All of that helped to break up the monotony of the scrambled eggs, oatmeal and mashed bananas I was eating. So when my friend had his tonsils out last week, I wanted to make something that he could eat that would also be a little nutritious. I made a double batch so that we could have a meal and lunch for a week for Jeromy.

I adapted this recipe from a neighbor–it’s how she got her four girls to eat vegetables!

Print this recipe!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 large can of plum tomatoes and their juice
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock {I used chicken, but using vegetable would make this a vegan soup}
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon oregano
3/4 cup small pasta
2 zucchini, divided {1 chopped, 1 sliced thin}
6 basil leaves, chiffonade
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Note: I made a double batch so the quantity in my pictures looks different than the written recipe.

Method

Prepare all of the vegetables.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare pasta according to package instructions. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pot.

Soften the onion and garlic in the oil for about 3 minutes over medium-high heat.

Add the chopped zucchini, carrots and celery. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.

Next, add the tomatoes, stock, salt, bay leaf and oregano. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, allow the soup to cool slightly, remove the bay leaf then ladle the solids into a food processor. Puree and place back into the pot. Add the sliced zucchini and basil. Cook for 5 minutes.