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Here’s the thing with kids. I don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen. I want to be with them when they’re at the table, painting hearts and learning that markers should not be eaten.
Even if I didn’t want to, I need to be there for table time activities like this, because Luke will eat those little pom poms if I look away for one second. No doubt.
So no, I don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen. But I do want food that is fresh and flavorful. That means I need to plan ahead a little bit. It can (and does!) happen without spending all my precious time cooking.
This soup, for example. I roasted the butternut squash the night before. Roasting a squash is easy enough. Totally a hands-off activity. The squash just needs to be cut in half and seeds scooped out; then you can just throw it in the oven. When it was done, I quickly scooped out its roasted flesh and put it in a container to be refrigerated.
Then at lunch time the next day all I needed to do was sauté the onion and shallot, blend the soup, and heat it up. The day after that? Just heat it up, baby.
Fresh, fast, and flavorful.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger and Lime
This flavorful soup can be made vegan by using vegetable stock and olive oil in place of the chicken stock and butter.
Makes 2 large main-course portions
1 large butternut squash (about 3 cups cooked)
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 shallot, diced
1 tablespoon butter
juice of 1/2 lime (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced (I buy the already-diced kind to save time)
1-2 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper
Optional toppings: cilantro and a drizzle of honey
To roast your squash, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut your squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash on a baking sheet and bake 40-60 minutes, until the flesh is tender when you pierce it with a fork. Allow the squash to cool and then scoop out the flesh. You’ll need about 3 cups for this recipe; if you have an extra large squash you can save the remaining for something else.
In a medium pot over medium heat, saute the onion and shallot until soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Place the sauteed onion, shallot, roasted squash, lime juice, ginger, and chicken stock (start with 1 cup and add more until you get your desired consistency. I used 1 1/2 cups) in a blender and blend until smooth.
Transfer the soup back to the pot and heat until warm. Taste and add salt and pepper, if desired (I didn’t think it needed any). Serve with a sprinkle of fresh or dried cilantro and a drizzle of honey. Enjoy!
I enjoyed this soup topped with cilantro and a drizzle of honey and it was oh so good. (Can you see the honey in the pictures?) It was an amazing lunch without having to spend too much time in the kitchen away from the kiddos. Who would pick up all those flashcards on the floor if I was stuck in the kitchen all day?
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Maryea is a stay-at-home mom on a mission to feed her family wholesome, real foods and stay a sane, happy mama at the same time! Click here to get free email updates with her posts:
I love the addition of honey to the soup. Sounds delicious. (and of course, look at those two cutie pies!)
The honey really added something special. I loved it.
I love soups for their freshness and practicality! During the months of final exams last year I did a lot of cooking in advance to save time, and soups are perfect for that. Squash soup is one of my favorites! Never tried it with lime though, however ginger goes into it usually.
I love ginger and lime together and it worked really well here.