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Mexican Butternut Squash Soup
I love to make soup with baked squash. This one is pretty spicy (by my palate), but still flavorful and not too spicy. (I’ve definitely overdone it in the past!) If you want to ease it up, just back off on the cayenne, chipotle, and chili powder. Remember- you can always add more heat, but you can’t take it away!
To make this recipe No Sugar No Grains (NSNG), omit the corn. I had a bag in my freezer that I needed to get eating, so I decided to use the entire 12 oz package. As you can see from the pictures, the soup is quite “corny” with that much in there. Adjust the amount of corn to your taste.
To get started, you need to bake a butternut squash. Wash the squash and prepare a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper. To safely divide the squash lengthwise, I find that it’s best to use the “Psycho Shower Scene” knife grip and stab technique…
Use your largest knife. Carefully make multiple stabbing cuts (slow and precise…unlike the shower scene!) with the point of the knife until you can “connect” the cuts and ease the 2 halves apart. Scoop out the seeds and place the cut sides face down on the parchment paper. Bake for 45 minutes at 400 degrees.
Demonstrating the “Psycho Shower Scene” knife grip and stab technique.
(To learn about my 269 tattoo check out the link below this picture.)
Baked butternut squash. (One half flipped over to show what it looks like after baking.)
INGREDIENTS
1 butternut squash, baked
4 C water (or liquid vegetable broth)
Coconut oil (to coat the soup pot)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped in discs
1 cauliflower, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
Dash garlic powder
Dash cayenne
Dash celery salt
1/8 t black pepper
1/8 t ground chipotle (very spicy)
1 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1 t basil
2 t dried chives
2 t Vegebase vegan broth powder (if not using liquid broth)
1 C water, as needed
15 oz can black beans, rinsed (double the amount if you want)
Optional- frozen organic corn, to taste
Measure all your spices in a small bowl.
ASSEMBLY
1. Blend the baked squash meat with 4 cups of water or liquid vegetable broth. Set aside.
2. Coat a large soup pot with coconut oil. Saute the vegetables with the spices for several minutes on medium heat.
3. Add the squash puree to the soup pot. Add another cup of water as needed. Simmer covered for about 45 minutes, or until the cauliflower is soft. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, add the beans and corn.
Makes about 7 1/2 pints, depending on the size of your squash and the amount of corn used.
Have some soup for dinner and freeze the rest in wide mouth freezer jars.
ENJOY!
This is my first “official” vegan product review—-> LILLY’S HUMMUS.
Last week I was contacted by Lilly’s and invited to try a sample pack of hummus.
Who would say no to that? Not me!
In no time flat, a chilled package was waiting at my doorstep. I was expecting “samples,” but it blew me away to see four 12 oz tubs of hummus and some swag!
Lilly’s Swag
Before I talk about Lilly’s Hummus, let me tell you about my life experience with hummus. Don’t worry, it’ll only take a minute!
I did not grow up eating hummus. My first experience with hummus happened after I met Eric. His mom made hummus all the time for their family gatherings. She’d serve the creamy dip with carrot sticks, baguette slices, and Tim’s Cascade Potato Chips. (I always looked for the most folded up chips in the bag!) It took me a short while to acquire a taste for hummus, but pretty soon I loved it.
Once I figured out how easy it was to make, I started making my own hummus, using Eric’s mom’s recipe. Of course, I’m not shy with the raw garlic! I also prefer a lot of lemon juice in my hummus.
The point is, I really don’t buy pre-made hummus because it’s so darn easy to make at home. On occasion, I’ve tasted store bought hummus, but they never impressed me. Some are excessively oily.
Now, back to Lilly’s…
Black Bean Hummus & Roasted Garlic Hummus
I’m told that Lilly’s Hummus was a sponsor of the 2013 Vida Vegan Con that I attended in Portland, Oregon. Unfortunately, I somehow missed them, in the blur of vegan food booths! (I might have been in a sugar coma from the vegan ice cream.)
Lilly’s Hummus is a Portland, Oregon company. All of their hummus varieties are 100% vegan, gluten-free, and made with organic garbanzo beans, real olive oil, and locally sourced produce. Four tahini-free varieties are available for those allergic to sesame seeds.
Smoked Tomato Basil Hummus & Cracked Pepper Hummus
Enough talk…LET’S EAT!
Immediately after I photographed my loot (step one for a blogger!), I opened up the Black Bean Hummus and the Cracked Pepper Hummus. I prepared a raw vegetable plate for dipping…
Veggie plate with Lilly’s Black Bean & Cracked Pepper Hummus.
The Black Bean Hummus contains smoked tomatoes, roasted red peppers and roasted jalapeno peppers. Translation: Taste explosion! I love the smokiness.
No, this isn’t your average hummus!
The Cracked Pepper Hummus is perfectly peppery. Delicious! The “crack” in the cracked pepper really comes through, too. It doesn’t taste like “plain” black pepper, if that makes sense. I’m definitely a fan of black pepper, so I’m pleased to taste it in hummus.
Coincidentally…we had plans to visit Eric’s parents just days after receiving the hummus. This was a perfect opportunity to share our Lilly’s Hummus with Eric’s mom– the woman who introduced me to hummus more than 20 years ago.
At Ocean Shores, WA, we opened up the Roasted Garlic Hummus and Smoked Tomato and Basil Hummus.
Eric scored the Lilly’s Hummus shirt.
The Roasted Garlic Hummus is thick, like the Cracked Pepper Hummus. (Both contain tahini.) Since I’m used to having raw garlic in my homemade hummus, it was a yummy change of pace to try hummus with roasted garlic. I love garlic either way. I do always say:
You can never have too much garlic!
Smoked Tomato & Basil Hummus with cucumbers and cherry tomatoes.
The Smoked Tomato & Basil Hummus, like the Black Bean Hummus, is a little bit thinner. (Those 2 flavors do not contain tahini.) Yum. There’s that smokiness again! How many different ways can I say “highly pleasing to the senses”?
Eric at Ocean Shores, WA – August 17, 2013
The verdict:
I’m definitely going to buy more of Lilly’s Hummus. I noticed that the Sno-Isle Food Co-op in Everett, WA has several flavors. Convenient for me!
Hummus flavors
YOU can check out Lilly’s Hummus by visiting…
Lilly’s Hummus Facebook page–> facebook.com/lillysnaturalfoods
(“Like” them for chances to win free hummus and swag!)
Lilly’s Hummus on Twitter–> twitter.com/lillyshummus
Lilly’s Hummus on Pinterest–> pinterest.com/lillyshummus
Lilly’s Hummus website–> www.lillyshummus.com
THANK YOU, LILLY’S HUMMUS!
Freeheel Vegan 