Butternut Squash Soup

As I sit here warming my back in front a roaring fire, both dogs curled up on the couch, my husband lounging on the overstuffed chair, my Christmas tree cheerful in the front window, and a chilly rain falling outside, I can't help but think what perfect soup weather this is. There's nothing quite like a bowl of hot soup or stew to warm you up from the inside out during the cold, winter months. And recently, I discovered a new favorite.

This recipe for butternut squash soup in the slow cooker was easy, and the result was both tasty and nutritious.

Lately, I've been on sort of a whole foods kick. I've felt this urge to get closer to my food (I know that probably sounds weird, but it's true). I want to make what I'm eating instead of just opening a can or a box (though I admit to eating frozen lasagna for dinner tonight). In the last few weeks, this recent urge has led me to make two pumpkin pies from real pumpkins (even though I had never even tried to make a pumpkin pie out of canned pumpkin before), my grandma's homemade applesauce, and, just yesterday, butternut squash soup.

All three ventures have proved relative successes, and below I share with you the recipe I used for the butternut squash soup. It's a modification of a recipe I found at crockpotladies.com. I choose it for its seeming ease of preparation, as well as for the appealing ingredients listed. One of my favorite things about the finished product was its texture--it was thick and smooth.

Butternut Squash Soup

You will need...

1 2-pound butternut squash
1 small, peeled, chopped sweet onion
1 cup homemade applesauce (or 1 apple, peeled and cored)
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 tspn. pepper (honestly, I will probably use more next time)
1/4 tspn. nutmeg
1/4 tspn. ground cloves
1/4 tspn. cinnamon
1/4 tspn. allspice
1/4 tspn. salt
8 oz. neufchatel cheese
shredded carrots

Procedure:
1. Wash butternut squash and slice in half. Remove "guts" and seeds.
2. Brush butternut squash with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes at 300 degrees.
3. Let cool. Peel.
4. Slice butternut squash into cubes.
5. Combine all ingredients except neufchatel cheese and carrots.
6. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
7. 30 minutes before serving time, cut neufchatel cheese into chunks and place in slow cooker to soften.
8. After 30 minutes, stir soup.
9. Pour soup into blender and blend smooth.
10. Serve garnished with shredded carrots.

Did you know...?
1. Wholeliving.com deems butternut squash a power food.
2. Butternut squash is high in fiber and potassium.
3. Butternut squash boasts extremely high levels of beta-carotene, or Vitamin A.
4. One cup of butternut squash can provide 50% of your recommended daily value of Vitamin C.
5. Like cherries, butternut squash contains high levels of antiodixants that may reduce inflammation.
--source: Wholeliving.com