Lunch: Winter Squash Soup with Red Chile and Mint Recipe | MyRecipes

Recipe by Deborah Madison For this soup--adapted from her 2013 book Vegetable Literacy--author Deborah Madison makes a quick stock from the trimmings of the main ingredients: She sets a pot with 5 cups of water on the stove, and as she chops, she tosses

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Basil

Health and fertility benefits of Winter Squash Soup with Red Chile and Mint Recipe | MyRecipes

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Basil is an excellent stress reliever, and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Ingredients

2 pounds smooth, dense winter squash, such as butternut, Rugosa, or Musque de Provence
2 tablespoons light sesame oil or olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or 1 tsp. dried
1 cinnamon stick (3 in. long)
About 1 tsp. sea salt
About 1 tbsp. ground dried New Mexico chiles* or 1/2 tsp. red chile flakes
4 cups quick vegetable stock (see headnote), chicken stock, or water
12 coriander seeds, 12 black peppercorns, and 4 cloves, tied in a cheesecloth sachet
2 tablespoons whipping cream

Instructions

Peel squash and cut flesh into 1-in. cubes.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add squash, onion, basil, and mint and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add cinnamon stick, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tbsp. ground chiles, followed by 4 cups stock and the spice sachet. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, and cook, partly covered, until squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove spice sachet and cinnamon stick.
In batches, purée soup in a blender. Season to taste with salt.
Ladle soup into bowls. Swirl 1 tsp. or so of cream into each, leaving it streaky. Finish each with a pinch of ground chiles.
*Ground dried New Mexico chiles are fruitier and milder than other powdered chiles, such as cayenne. Try well-stocked grocery stores, or order Los Chileros mild ground chile (chile molido) from loschileros. com.
Make ahead: Through step 3, up to 2 days.

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