Butternut Squash & Celery Soup with Sage

Serves 6-8

 

There is a major difference between summer and winter squash. They both are delicious and can make a myriad of different dishes, including tasty soups. The main difference is the shelf life of the produce after it has been harvested. They both grow during the summer and fall and no “winter” squash do not grow in the winter. The reason they have that name is due to the density of the fruit (and yes they are considered fruits). Their hard peel allows for their ability to hold longer and last throughout the winter.

 

Over the past several years, I have made a different butternut squash soup that has cinnamon and milk as a part of the recipe. It is quite delicious. Although, this time, while I had planned to make butternut squash and kale soup, I did not have kale. I happened to have celery and I have been growing sage for the past few months and thought it appropriate to use the beautiful sage in my garden. I finally put it into the ground over Thanksgiving weekend. I look forward to it growing and using it in more recipes.

 

You will probably see a few more soups and stews before the winter is over, but I will ensure I add other recipes as well. If there is any produce or recipe you would like me to showcase, please reach out and let me know. To learn more about me and these recipes, check us out at farmtobodywellness.com and on the Farm to Body Wellness Podcast found on Spotify and Apple Podcast. Until then, go ahead and check out this month’s recipe!

 

Ingredients:

 

• A 3lb +/- Butternut Squash (cubed)

It comes out to about 1kg peeled

• 350 Onion (diced)

• 200g Celery (cubed)

 

• 1-2T  Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 2t Salt

• ½t Black Pepper (ground)

• 1qt Water

• 5 Large Sage Leaves

 

**Disclaimer: Recipes for cooking do not have to be exact in quantity or ingredient. If you have a different oil, type of salt, or any other ingredient, please use what you have. Enjoy!

 

Instructions:

 

Step 1:  Cut the onions into a small dice (it cooks faster, even though they will be blended later), and sweat them down with extra virgin olive oil and salt until they are about halfway translucent. Add the cubed celery to the onions and finish cooking (the celery will not cook all the way and that is fine).

 

Step 2: Add the cubed butternut squash to the celery and onions. They should be cut into medium cubes. Add the water and the sage (can be entire leaves). Add the remainder of the salt and the pepper.

 

Step 3:  At this point, if you saved the seeds of the butternut squash, you can roast them in the oven or toast them in a pan on low. Sometimes I do not save them, but this time I toasted them in a pan.

 

Step 4: Cook for 30-45 minutes until everything is cooked thoroughly. Use an immersion blender or blend in whatever way you decide until the consistency is smooth. Taste to ensure flavor is good

 

Step 5: Once the soup is complete, you can bowl it up or put it away for later. It freezes well and tastes good cold, if you are into that type of thing. I added the toasted seeds and some raw thinly cut celery to the soup. Enjoy the taste of December!