Easy Butternut Squash Soup

This recipe is full of warming anti-inflammatory spices, vegetables, and nutrients! It’s perfect for cold fall/winter days.

It’s currently in between Christmas and New Years – and I feel like everyone is getting COVID / or is at least sick with something. We have been doing a lot the past few months, in between our wedding, honeymoon, friends weddings, visiting family for the holidays… and I’ve been out of my routine. I’ve been eating a little differently than I usually do, moving less, and my sleep schedule has suffered a little as well. I felt like getting some extra veggies in, and anti-inflammatory spices would help me feel better – so this soup was created!

Anti-Inflammatory Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients
  

  • 2 small butternut squash (or 1 extra large) peeled and chopped
  • 1 sweet onion chopped
  • 2 shallots chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 3 carrots chopped
  • 1/3 cup cashews
  • 1-2 tbsp avocado oil enough to coat vegetables
  • 3-4 cup bone broth I used the Kettle & Fire Chicken Mushroom Broth
  • 1.5 tsp tumeric
  • 2 tsp Kashmiri mirch you can also substitute a combination of cayenne and paprika
  • 1 tsp rosemary
  • salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place cashews in a small bowl, and pour boiling water over them (enough to cover them completely). You are soaking your cashews so they are easy to blend.
  • Preheat your oven to 425 F.
  • Wash, and chop your vegetables (just so they're easier to roast), and coat them in avocado oil. Put the vegetables (squash, carrots, garlic, onion) on a lined baking sheet, then place in the preheated oven, and allow them to cook for 25-35 minutes, or until they are easily pierced with a fork.
  • After your cashews have soaked for 10-20 minutes, discard the water they have soaked in. Place the soaked cashews in a blender, with all of the bone broth, and turn on high. Blend until the cashews have essentially dissolved into the broth (this could take a few minutes in the blender).
  • Once vegetables are done cooking, add your vegetables, and spices to the blender as well, and blend until smooth. This might take a minute or two.
  • Your soup is ready! Top with toasted pepitas (Superseedz brand is my favorite), or goat cheese, crackers or some fresh bread.

I know kashmiri mirch is an unusual spice, but I highly recommend picking some up! It’s used in Indian cooking, so if you know of a local import store, you might be able to find it there. It is RICH in vitamin C and adds a delicious slightly spicy / paprika-like flavor.

We know turmeric has wonderful anti-inflammatory properties, due to the phytochemical curcumin (which is often taken as a supplement).

Rosemary is also a rich source of antioxidants, and just smelling the herb might even help with memory!

Moss M, Oliver L. Plasma 1,8-cineole correlates with cognitive performance following exposure to rosemary essential oil aroma. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. 2012 Jun;2(3):103-13. doi: 10.1177/2045125312436573. PMID: 23983963; PMCID: PMC3736918.

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