Warming Up with Butternut Squash Soup

Squash is such a funny looking vegetable to a newbie. It doesn't even remotely look like it would taste sweet. But oh my goodness! It really hits the spot when you want something sweet without the sugar crash that inevitably comes after most processed snacks.

When I first tried it, I made roasted squash. I sliced it in half and scraped out the seeds with a melon baller. I sprayed the glass pan and the squash with olive oil, then sprinkled liberally with salt and pepper. Pop it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour. So simple!

To make the soup, I first roasted the squash as above. However this time, I placed a small bit of water in the dish. I also softened the onions in a skillet with some butter on the stovetop. (I think some flavors just don't come through when prepared in the microwave.) In an effort to make the soup a bit more healthy, I used 2% milk instead of heavy cream. Next time I'll use the cream. There are certain circumstances that I'll use healthy substitutes. This should not be one of them. It sacrifices the taste too much. Depending on how thick you like your soups, you may want to use less vegetable broth. I like soups like this to be thick so next time I'll only use 3 cups of broth.


Butternut Squash Soup from Allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds butternut squash, cubed 2 onions, chopped 1 tablespoon butter 4 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup heavy cream salt and pepper to taste 1 dash ground nutmeg 1 dash ground cloves 1 dash ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

In a large microwave safe dish combine squash, onions and butter. Cover and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Peel squash. Stir in broth and cook on high for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until squash is tender. Puree squash, onions and broth in a food processor or blender. Add cream, salt and pepper, and microwave on high for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through. Flavor with nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon to taste.

Hello, Persimmon!

In my effort to eat new types of fruit, I picked up a (fuyu) persimmon at the grocery store. It was a funny looking thing, resembling a squat tomato. I'm not a big fruit person. I usually stick to bananas, strawberries, and watermelon. Apples are pretty iffy for me. Golden delicious are the only ones I can tolerate. The other versions are okay if I smother them in peanut butter.

What cracked me up the most about this fruit, is the description I found of how to eat this fruit. Yes, I had to Google it. I didn't know if I was supposed to eat the skin, if there was a big pit in the middle, etc. Here is what I found on wikihow. Too funny!

1. Wash the persimmon.

2. Using a sharp knife cut the top(leaves) off like you would prepare a tomato.
3. Cut into any shape you desire and eat by inserting a bite sized piece into mouth, chewing and then swallowing when safe to do so.
4. Persimmons can be cooked or eaten raw. Can be made into a jam/marmalade or also be used in salads.

I peeled it and sliced it up like a tomato. What I discovered is that it's somewhat similar in texture to a mushy peach. (I'm a big texture person. I'll comment on texture before I comment on taste.) I think refrigerating it would have firmed it up a bit. But there wasn't a big pit like there is in a peach. In fact, there were only about 5 seeds, like large watermelon seeds. The skin? I guess you can eat it but it was kind of tough. And the taste? Pretty mild. On the sweet side.

The verdict? Yes, I'll buy again. But I think I'll make sure it's a little more firm by refrigerating it before slicing and add it to a fruit salad. Let me know if you've tried a persimmon and how you like to eat it.

My Adventure with Vegetables

I have a new tv show addiction: BBC's You are What You Eat. It has done wonders for my diet by making me actually pay attention to what I am eating. However, I have been getting tired of eating the same old vegetables day in and day out. It's time that I venture outside of the bell peppers, carrots, and asparagus. If only the produce section wasn't so intimidating! Did I mention last time I needed a leek, I spent 10 minutes searching for it? And I never did find that scallion.

Here is what I picked up at the grocery store today:




1 Parsnips*
2. Beets*
3. Fennel*
4. Jicama*
5. Butternut squash*
6. Spaghetti squash*
7. Eggplant*
8. Bok Choy*
9. Garlic
10. Edamame*
11. Brussel Sprouts
12. Pineapple
13. Asian Pear
14. Apple-Pear*
15. Persimmon*
16. Cauliflower
17. Mango*
18. Artichokes*
19. Lemons
20. Tomatoes
21. Sweet potatoes*
22. Red, orange, and yellow peppers

(* Items I have never tried or rarely ever eat.)

I can't wait to try it all! I will be roasting some butternut squash in the oven and making some parsnip and beet chips. Stay tuned for the recipes!