Butternut Squash Stew

For me Autumn is all about cosy nights, hiding indoors while the weather outside does it's thing, and eating warming tasty things. I love the simplicity of the Butternut Squash Soup I made earlier, but sometimes you want something a bit heartier. Through adding in some tofu, and roasted veggies and topping it all off with a dollop of hummus, you get a stick-to-your-ribs meal to warm you up on the coldest of nights!

This stew is pretty forgiving, and kind of grain works really, and you could easily sub tofu for beans. Lately I've been really into just throwing a bunch of things into a pot that I think would taste good and hoping for the best. By lately I mean always. I have a tendency to buy cookbooks for reading material, then hardly ever end up cooking out of them. It's a bit embarrassing, really. Sometimes I don't even bother to read the recipes, I just look at the pictures. I can't be alone on this!

Butternut Squash Stew
1/2 recipe Butternut Squash Soup
1 cup almond milk
1 tsp curry powder

Add ins
1cup cooked wild rice/quinoa/barley/etc.
1 cup finely chopped tightly packed kale
2 cups roasted veggies, finely chopped

1/2 block tofu, diced small
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp curry powder
1 tablespoon coconut oil

In a pan heat coconut oil, stir fry the tofu, mushrooms, and zucchini in the tamari and ACV.

In a pot on the stove over medium heat mix together the soup, almond milk and curry powder, bring to a simmer. Add in wild rice, kale, and veggies with tofu mixture.

Serve with a dollop of hummus on top!

Butternut Squash Soup

Now that October is in full swing and fall is falling, I feel like it's appropriate to unveil my Autumn food obsession. It started weirdly early this year, with me craving soups and the like in August. But now that the trees are starting to get naked, I think it's okay to indulge in my obsession with squashes, and cinnamon, and roasted everything. By next month you're going to be so sick of seeing pumpkin on here. Or you'll be orange. I won't judge.

I've been on a soup binge as of late. Travelling a bunch tends to make you crave homey things, soup is nothing if not homey. I had this cute little butternut squash hanging out in my fridge, so I roasted it up with some garlic and onions(no colds here!), then tossed it into the vitamix. This was the first time I've used the vitamix for making soup, and it turned out like silk. With all that vitamin A, C and B6 from the squash, and the generous helping of onions and garlic, this'll help ward off all those nasty colds everyone seems to be getting. And vampires too.

Roasted garlic is one of my favorite things, it takes on this nutty mellow sweetness that's kind of divine. Same goes for the onions, something magical happens when you put those babies in the oven.

This soup is great just on it's own, or if you want to make it more of a meal some quinoa and veggies tossed in would be great too. With lots of crusty bread for dipping, if you're into that thing.

Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Soup

1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced
6-8 cloves of garlic
1/2 sweet white onion, chopped into pieces
1 tablespoon dried parsley
S&P
1 tablespoon coconut oil
3 1/2 cups veggie stock
1/2 cup almond milk
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat your oven to 375, combine squash, garlic and onions with parsley, s&p and coconut oil. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 40 mins, or until squash is tender and golden. Allow to cool slightly.

Put half of squash into blender, with half of stock and almond milk, and rosemary. Blend until smooth, repeat with second half. Stir in lemon juice, and serve!

The next squash on my list is pumpkin. I purchased two adorable little pie pumpkins yesterday and have been making more pumpkin themed things than I ever thought possible. Pie. Pudding. Oatmeal. You'll see.