Autumn Squash Soup

Fall is well under way here and it seems like everywhere I turn it is all about pumpkins.  (I saw a pumpkin flavored crusted salmon at the grocery the other day.  No.)  Don't get me wrong, I love pumpkins, especially for decorating, but all of the hype surrounding one type of fall produce gets a bit repetitive when it comes to food.

During this time of year when everything is pumpkin "flavored", I crave a bit of variety and eating-outside-the-box.  When I saw this sweet little cream colored squash at my favorite produce stand, I knew it had to come home with me.  What appealed to me beside the color was the description:

"Swan White Acorn: Pale yellow, flesh is very smooth with a delicate sweet flavor.  Free of pumpkin taste.  Good microwaved or baked."

No "pumpkin taste"?  Just what I had been looking for in this pumpkin-dominated season!  So, this weekend I pulled out my trusty pressure cooker and got to work making a simple, but delicious fall meal that didn't revolve around the pumpkin.

Autumn Squash Soup

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Servings: 8-10
Time: 15 minutes prep, 6 initial pressure cook with a quick release, 5 minute saute, 3 minute final pressure cook with a quick release

Ingredients:

• 1 medium winter squash
• 6 cups filtered water
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 orange, red, or yellow bell pepper
• 3 large carrots
• 2 small yellow summer squashes
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Add two cups of water to your pressure cooker and begin heating with a steamer rack set inside.  Wash the whole winter squash, poke a few holes in it with a small knife, and place it on the steamer rack.  Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 6-8 minutes depending on the size of your squash.
2. While the squash is cooking, prep the reminder of your ingredients.  Wash all produce.  Peel the sweet potatoes, onion, and carrots, and roughly chop.  Remove the stem and seeds from the bell pepper and give it a rough chop.  Trim the ends of the yellow summer squash and roughly chop.
3. Once the 6-8 minutes cooking the squash are up, quick release the remaining pressure, remove the squash and steamer rack carefully, and discard the excess water.
4. Return the pot to the pressure cooker and begin to saute the onion, bell pepper, and carrots for 5 minutes.  Use small amounts of water to prevent the veggies from sticking.  Trim the edges of the cooked winter squash, cut it in half, remove the seeds, and chop into large chunks.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients including the winter squash, filtered water, sweet potatoes, summer squash, and spices.  Cook at high pressure for 3 minutes.
6. When the time is up, quick release the remaining pressure.  With an immersion blender blend the soup until smooth and creamy, adding salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve hot by itself, with a dash of cinnamon, or with a drizzle of coconut milk for a pretty presentation.
8. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to one week, or in freezer bags for several months.

Tips and Tricks:

• This method of pre-cooking a squash can be done with virtually any squash and any recipe.  For me, 6 minutes with a two pound squash cooked it about 60% of the way, and then the second pressure cook in the main soup finished cooking it.  If you want to fully cook the squash, adjust your times from 12-20 minutes depending on the squash type and size.
• I did not peel my squash prior to cooking or adding it to the soup since it was a lighter color and not too thick.  If you have a traditional acorn squash or other darker skinned squash, you may want to peel it.
• If you do not have an immersion blender, I would suggest allowing the soup to cool and then blending in a high power blender in batches, making sure to mix all of the blended batches together before serving.
• This would be a great side soup for a larger meal.  It feels creamy and delicious, but doesn't contain too many calories per serving.  Personally, I had a double serving of this soup for lunch along with some crackers and cucumber slices and felt perfectly full through the afternoon without overdoing my caloric intake.  Low caloric density for the win!

Nutrition Info:

As calculated on MyFitnessPal.com for 8 servings per recipe:  Calories: 109; Total Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol 0 g; Sodium 75 mg; Potassium 676 mg; Total Carbohydrate 26 g; Dietary Fiber 5 g; Sugars 6 g; Protein 3 g; Vitamin A 220%; Vitamin C 92%; Calcium 7%; Iron 9%

Health and Happiness,

Amy