Curried Butternut Squash and Coconut Milk Soup

Fall is here, which is kind of sad because it’s getting colder and the days are getting shorter, but it’s just. so. beautiful. I don’t know…there’s something romantic about the colors of the leaves changing and the cool air arriving. It’s cozy. Soups are good for cozy weather, but I’ll get to that in a moment. First…these trees!!

Last weekend we took advantage of that sweet spot between mid-september when most of the leaves have turned and the first serious rains which make the leaves fall off and took a little hike up into Gatineau Park. (By the way, I don’t just know these things – fall sweet spots and whatnot – the more experienced ones tell me. They say, “Lisa, it’s time. This is the weekend to go see the leaves.”)

They were right. And the views from the top did not disappoint.

It looks like a colorful carpet! And that’s lil’ ol’ Ottawa in the distance. We even saw a few Turkey Vultures.

A couple more, and then I’ll tell you quickly about my soup.

Really, the soup is simple; I needed an excuse to show you all the fall! I know most of you, my lovely readers, are still in hundred degree weather that shows no signs of ever letting up, and I’m sorry about that. And about what it’s doing to our beautiful state. And you probably don’t feel like even thinking about making or eating or even looking at soup. But I do. You all can just keep this one in your back pocket for when the temperatures do finally cool down.

It’s a quick and simple soup with a rich silky texture. Oh, also, it has like only 200 calories per serving. That’s always nice. Also, if you’re totally bored just thinking about cutting and peeling that sucker, you could slice it down the middle and then roast it in the oven.

Curried Butternut Squash and Coconut Milk Soup

Makes 4 servings or 8 cups

Ingredients:

4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and chopped into cubes

1 small onion, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons curry powder

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less or not at all – up to you!)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 can of light coconut milk (reserve 1/4 cup for garnishing, if you want)

1 or 2 cups broth (whatever kind you like, I use vegetable)

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (optional)

• Peel and chop the butternut squash and chop the onion.
• In a large pot, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they start to lightly brown. You may need to lower the heat so you can get some color, without them burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan. About 5 – 8 minutes
• Add the spices to the onion and stir to toast the curry a bit. About a minute
• Add the chopped butternut squash, coconut milk, and then add broth until the liquids just barely cover the squash. Cover and bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally.
• In the mean time, lightly toast the pumpkin seeds (if using them) either in a pan or in the oven. Keep an eye on them – they toast super fast and I am guilty of throwing away more than one batch!!
• Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Or pour it into a stand-up blender in batches. Serve and garnish with a tablespoon of the reserved coconut milk, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and the pumpkin seeds.