Add Body and Color to your Fall Soup, plus a recipe for Autumn Soup

By Kay MacInnis, Registered Dietitian with Providence Health

 

Looking for a great way to add lots of flavor and body to your soup? Try butternut squash soup. Butternut squash is a great source of Vitamin A.Vitamin A is important eye and immune function.  One cup of butternut squash provides all the Vitamin A you need for an entire day. One cup of butternut squash has 82 calories, .18 g fat, 1.8 g protein, 21.50 g carbohydrate.

Try adding some butternut squash to soup or some of your favorite roasted fall veggies.

Ingredients

• 2 cups water 500 mL
• ½ cup wild rice 125 mL
• ½ cup sliced almonds 125 mL
• 1½ Tbsp canola oil 20 mL
• 1 cup chopped onion 250 mL
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 500 mL
• 2 cups water 500 mL
• 1-3 lb butternut squash, peeled and flesh cut into 1-inch cubes to yield 8 cups 500 g-1.5 kg
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ tsp salt, optional 2 mL
• ½ tsp nutmeg 2 mL

Preparation

1. In medium saucepan, bring 2 cups (500 mL) water to a boil and add wild rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until water is evaporated and rice grains have split open. (Check occasionally to ensure water does not evaporate too quickly causing rice to burn). Drain any excess water and set aside.
2. In non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, toast almonds to golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Watch so they don’t burn. Remove and set aside.
3. In large soup pot, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, reduce heat to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes or until opaque; do not allow onions to brown. Stir in broth, water, squash, apple, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until squash and apples are tender. Remove from heat and remove bay leaf and cinnamon stick.
4. Purée soup with immersion blender or food processor. Return to low heat and stir in salt (if using) and nutmeg. Stir in wild rice to heat through. Spoon soup into bowls and garnish each bowl with 1 Tbsp (15 mL) toasted almonds.

Nutritional Information

Calories 110 calories, Total fat 4g, Sat. Fat 0g, Chol 0mg, Sodium 115mg, Carbs 17g, Fiber 4g, Protein 3g.

 

Yield: 12 servings. Serving Size: 1 cup (250 mL)

Courtesy of canolainfo.org

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This is another in a weekly series of healthy recipes from Kay MacInnis, registered dietitian at Providence Health in Columbia, S.C.

 

Kay promotes health and wellness, helping cardiac and diabetes patients eat their way to healthier lives. She works in consultation with the trained chefs at Providence, combining her nutrition knowledge with their food prep know-how to create delicious, healthy dishes for patients and the public. She also conducts a number of health and wellness events for the public, including the monthly Providence Cooks! classes.

 

“She doesn’t just give you the fish, she teaches you how to cook it.”

 

 – a Kay MacInnis fan and Providence Cooks! regular.