Recipe Copycat: Butternut Squash Soup

The combat the influx of cookies last week...

If you're feeling the effects of too much eggnog, cookies, and salty holiday meats, you could probably use a bit of a detox.

Many restaurants make use of seasonal vegetables – especially during the colder winter months. Soups made from things like squash, beets, kale, and spinach have loads of vitamins and nutrients to make you feel a bit better after indulging for the past few days.

If you simply can't get out to try your favorite eatery's liquid gold, most vegetable soups are easy to make on your own. Below, we've outlined a recipe for a warm butternut squash soup. Serve it up with some crusty artisan bread and a sprinkling of toasted nuts.

Ingredients:

• 1 2-3 lb butternut squash, peeled and seeded (you can also buy the precut stuff – just make sure you have 2-3 lbs of it)
• 2 tbsps unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken (or vegetable) stock
• Half of a granny smith apple, diced (optional – use if you want a slightly sweeter soup)
• Nutmeg
• Handful of fresh sage, chopped
• Salt & pepper, to taste

If you bought a whole squash, cut it into 1-inch chunks. In a large pot, melt the butter and sauté the onion over medium heat until it becomes translucent in about 7 minutes. Add the squash and stock and simmer until the squash is pierced easily with a fork – about 15-20 minutes. 

Now there are two ways to go forward:

If you DO have an immersion blender, place the blender in the soup and blend. Boom, done. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and sage. 

If you do NOT have an immersion blender, use a slotted spoon to remove the pieces of squash and place them in a blender – puree. Return the blended squash to your pot. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and sage.

Notice that this version has no cream or heavy cream or super duty half and half etc. Enjoy your tasty soup as you get ready to ring in 2015!