Curried Squash & Sweet Potato Soup

For anyone experiencing sub-zero temps at the moment, this soup is especially for you.

My mother-in-law made this soup for us on a chilly day in San Francisco a few years ago, and I was instantly HOOKED. Though I’m not a huge curry fan, the meld of spices in this warm bowl of deliciousness is just… perfect.

I’ve made this my official soup for foggy, rainy or snowy weather. The best part: It gives all the comfort-food fuzzies… without any of the “I really shouldn’t have eaten that” guilt.

Though the original recipe calls for red potatoes, I substitute sweet potatoes since they’re low glycemic, meaning they break down slower and don’t cause a “spike” in blood sugar (key for a sugar-free lifestyle and for keeping your energy going… a must for all mamas…). Plus, sweet potatoes benefit the heart, skin, hair, immunity and can even reduce stress and the effects of aging… so they’re pretty much a no-brainer.

Curried Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients: (makes 4 servings)

• 1 ½ tsp. curry powder
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. ground coriander
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• Pinch of ground cardamom
• Salt & pepper
• 1 medium onion (cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 2 yellow squash (cut length-wise and then into “moons”)
• 1 small butternut squash (cut into cubes)
• 2 large sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into cubes)
• Olive oil
• 2-3 cups of vegetable stock (depending on how thick or thin you like your soup)

Directions:

Heat oven to 400°. Combine the spices (curry, cumin, coriander, oregano and cardamom) in a small bowl. Place onion, squash and potatoes on a baking sheet greased with olive oil. Drizzle more oil over and then sprinkle with the spice mixture. Follow with some salt and pepper.

Toss to ensure veggies are evenly coated; roast for about 45-60 minutes (the original recipe says to roast for an hour, but mine were definitely done by 45 minutes, so start checking at the 30-minute mark. Burnt veggies don’t make for a good soup… I learned that the hard way on my first attempt!).

Set aside a quarter of the veggies for garnish. Put the rest in a food processor and pulse for 8-10 times (for a smoother soup, pulse more… I prefer mine a little chunky 😉 ).

Transfer to a saucepan set on medium heat and add the broth. Stir until heated through.

Top with the reserved vegetables, enjoy and stay warm!