This butternut squash soup is great for your weekly meal prep!

My Mom gave me three butternut squashes probably three weeks ago.  They rolled around the back of my car for almost that whole time, until I cleaned out my car and found them – thanks Mom!  Butternut squash is a hearty vegetable!

Roasting this butternut squash is my favorite way to use it.  That, and my healthier version of Jessica’s butternut squash queso – that’s amazeballs!

I find if I microwave the squash whole for 5 minutes, it cuts so much easier.  I just cut in half, and threw the squash (seeds and all!) face down on a baking sheet with one sliced honey crisp apple, 3 large carrots and 4 cloves of garlic.  The seeds are super easy to take out once the squash is cooked.

Let cool slightly, and I use a melon baller to get out all the pulp.

Then you just add all the ingredients into a blender and blend for five minutes.  I know that seems like a long time, but you’ll get this velvety texture 

this is a bowl of butternut squash soup

Butternut Squash Soup

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

This creamy butternut squash soup screams fall. It uses roasted butternut squash and apples with a hint of cayenne so make it the perfect sweet and savory combo.

Ingredients

  • 1 large butternut squash*
  • 1 large honey crisp apple, cored and sliced
  • 3 large carrots, washed and unpeeled
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper **
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 brussels sprouts, sliced thin (optional garnish)
  • 1 teaspoon grape seed oil (optional garnish)

Instructions

    Heat oven to 425. Spray a baking sheet with Pam, and place the butternut squash (that's been cut in half) cut side down. Add apples, carrots and garlic. After 30 minutes, take the apples, carrot and garlic off the pan. Set aside. Cook the squash another 15 minutes, or until you can pierce it with a knife.

    Let the veggies cool about 20 minutes. Throw everything into a blender, except the sprouts and oil. Blend for 5 minutes - this will give the soup a velvety texture and mimic a bisque even though there is no cream in the soup.

    Heat grapeseed oil over medium heat, saute the sprouts for about 2-3 minutes - just until they are wilted a bit. Toss with a pinch of salt and pepper and garnish the soup with the sprouts.

Notes

* if you microwave the butternut squash for 5 minutes, it's easy to slice in half before roasting

** cayenne pepper is a personal preference - the amount I have in the recipe is the perfect sweet/savory/spicy combination, but if you don't like as much spice, reduce to your liking.

Since I am on the diabetic plan, I have to count for the apple, but it's only 1 WW point per serving on my plan. Click this link to see what the WW points would be on your plan.

Did you make this recipe?

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I had my knee doctor appointment at 8:45 in the morning.  They think I may have a torn miniscus (sp?!).  So they scheduled an MRI for 3:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon.  I had planned to meet my Mom for lunch and we were going to see A Star is Born, but we only had time for lunch.  I don’t post this very often, but this is my favorite breakfast when a) I am not that hungry but need to eat and b) if I know I am going out to lunch.  This cookies and cream Premier Protein with espresso tastes just like cereal milk to me, in the best way possible.

Hi Momma!

We went to Big Bowl – I love that place.  I’ll have all the veggies please!  Except onions 😛

I needed a bigger bowl!

I got mine with tofu – love.  I felt like I was eating for 30 minutes straight, but still brought more than half of it home – the leftovers will be my lunch today.

Mom got the pad thai – I had a bite so good!!

My MRI lasted 45 minutes – I’ll know the results next Thursday when I go back.  I may need surgery – we’ll see!  I had time to do a dry run of my Cooking Club dish on Thursday – this tastes amazing – I am making an artichoke dip chicken – you’ll want to stay tuned with this recipe – I’ll post it on Friday.

Being off on a Tuesday makes today feel like Monday – I keep having to remind myself that it’s Wednesday!

Happy Wednesday my friends – make it a great day!