Healthy Soup Recipes: Squash Bean Soup

I love healthy soup recipes. For many reasons. They make yummy vegetarian meals (which are healthy and cheaper). They freeze easily. They double as homemade baby food easily. And they're warm and hearty during cold months!

Here's a new recipe I just tried with great success. I am offering it here as a chunky minestrone-style squash soup, but I actually pureed everything except the beans so it was a creamy squash bean soup in my home.

Do you have a picky eater who meticulously picks out any bits of food that they find offensive? I think it's funny that my son has to be absolutely confident that each and every piece of a food that he has determined unacceptable has been removed from the entire bowl before he will venture a bite... and that he often tries to convince his little brother to eat it for him.

But, there are also days when it's not so funny. So here's my tip: puree all of the foods that are offensive to your picky eaters. Leave only the chunks that they like!

This recipe is

VEGAN

VEGETARIAN

WHOLE FOODS

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 celery ribs, diced

Approximately 6 c water

4 loose cups spinach, chopped

4 c cooked white beans (cannellini)

1/2 Tbsp crushed thyme

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Spinach and squash are on our list of the Top 25 Foods to Get all Your Vitamins and Minerals Directions

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Place cut side down in a baking dish with one inch of water. Bake 30-40 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, chop vegetables. Heat oil in a large pot. Add the onion and celery. Cook until onion is clear. Add 2 cups water and spices, turn heat to low and cover.

When squash is just cool enough to handle, scoop flesh out of the skin and puree in a blender with 1 cup of water. You may need to do this in 2 or more batches. Add the puree to the vegetables in the pot. Note, if you have picky eaters, puree the other vegetables at this point, too. Return all puree to the pot.

Add the beans and spinach (if it was not pureed earlier) to the pot, and heat through until warm and the spinach is wilted. Add additional water as needed to reach desired consistency.

Serves 6-8.

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