Nurturing Butternut Squash Soup with Parmesan Crisps

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Ingredients

Soup:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 butternut squash (approximately 3 pounds), peeled and cubed
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth
1/2 cup soy milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 leaves fresh sage, left whole
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pat butter
1 cup (4 ounces) chopped and stemmed shiitake mushrooms, for topping
2 tablespoons ricotta, for topping

Crisps:

2 cups (8 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Nurturing Butternut Squash Soup with Parmesan Crisps

Butternut squash has a sweet, nutty flavor and is an amazing food ¾ rich in vitamins A and C and easy to grow in a home vegetable patch. When roasted and pureed, butternut squash is a great first food for babies and can be turned into many wonderful dishes for the entire family.

Submitted by:
Anni Daulter Anni is an eco-mama, cook, advocate of sustainable living & author. Anni was the founder of a fresh organic baby food company and recently launched her new magazine & online mom community. She wants to help families tune into more connection with each other, while supporting greening up the earth.

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MAKE IT

To make the soup, in a soup pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add butternut squash, onion, garlic, and carrot, and sauté for about 8 minutes. Add chicken broth and soy milk. Season with nutmeg, sage, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer soup for 15–20 minutes or until vegetables are thoroughly cooked through and soft.
While soup is simmering, make Parmesan crisps. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Take 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and pat down firmly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Make as many as you have cheese. Bake for about 6–8 minutes, until golden brown. Let crisps cool and harden, while finishing the soup.
Remove whole sage leaves and pour soup mixture into blender and blend to desired texture. Cover and set aside.
Heat skillet over medium heat, melt a pat of butter and sauté mushrooms until soft, about 4–5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper.
Serve soup warm, topped with warm mushrooms and a dollop of ricotta, and with a Parmesan crisp on the side.

CLEAN IT

Conventionally-raised chicken is often bathed in a chlorine bath after slaughter to eliminate pathogens. Either opt for organic broth for this recipe or read this article to learn how to find safer alternatives.

GREEN IT

As Anni mentions above, kids love growing food and growing your own is easier on the environment. If you don’t have a yard or garden, you can easily grow sage in a container (and even mushrooms inside in a dark place). Learn more.

MAKE IT FUN

Put the kids in charge of the parmesan crisps! For younger children you can even just let them pat down piles of cheese you measure out.

Reviews

Alan W (Guest)

Submitted on December 12, 2011 at 6:37 pm

I stir fry two whole red peppers in olive oil, along with a whole onion, then when they are half way done, I add the butternut squash, in small cubes. When the squash is soft to being poked with a fork, I add it to the blender with guess what? Miso soup....better than vegetable broth and much better than milk. Still comes out thick and creamy! And Healthy!

Sundi (Guest)

Submitted on December 12, 2011 at 12:58 pm

You shouldn't be feeding kids (or anyone) soy milk unless you designate very clearly that it's organic. Researchers point out that almost 98% of soy produced in the western world is now GMO. Sadly, that includes soy grown in fields that used to be the Amazon rainforest. Why soy milk? It's not even that healthy for MOST adults (it's a hormone-disruptor in most women; a blood test can tell you for sure.) Having made boatloads of butternut squash soup, I can testify that it doesn't need any sort of milk product at all, nor does it need animal product. Simplify it with veggie bouillon, sauteed onions, and top it off with a little coconut cream if you want to have a dairy-like texture. I firmly believe it's a lot healthier or I wouldn't be taking the time to write this review.