Fall Butternut Squash Soup

What’s fall without its traditional foods like pumpkins, cinnamon, cranberries and butternut squash?  Butternut squash is a nutrient dense food, it has few calories but is packed with nutrients like vitamin A and fiber. Vitamin A is important for immune function and eye health. The rich yellow-orange color of the squash also makes it a bright and fun ingredient. This versatile vegetable can be roasted, sautéed or pureed. Butternut squash soup is a delicious crowd pleasing dish perfect for fall.

Ingredients (serves 4-6):

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion diced

½ cup diced carrots

½ cup celery

4 cups butternut squash diced

4 cups chicken stock

1 tsp. thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup whole milk

In a large pot, add olive oil and turn heat to medium.  Cook the onion, celery and carrot 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper. Add butternut squash, thyme and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 25-30 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.

Once vegetables are cooked through, transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. Return to pot, and mix in milk for a creamy texture (for a diary-free option replace 1 more cup of chicken stock for the milk). Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Butternut squash is a healthy vegetable that you can eat all fall and winter. Eating a healthy diet is an essential part of preventing cancer. Make an effort to fill your diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables and reduce your intake of red meats. To learn more about healthy eating visit preventcancer.org.