Lunch: Butternut Squash-Apple Soup with Bacon

Recipe by Anna Watson Carl Everything you love about fall in one sweet and savory soup.

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Apples

Health and fertility benefits of Butternut Squash-Apple Soup with Bacon

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). Apples will improve your body's sensitivity to insulin (Reference: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281.full)

Ingredients

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow or white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped (3 c.)
2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped (2 c.)
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. curry
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cloves
kosher salt
Black pepper
1 qt. vegetable stock (4 c.)
6 thyme sprigs
4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
Sour cream (or Greek yogurt) for garnish
Chopped parsley, for garnish

Instructions

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, butternut squash, and apple and sauté for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until beginning to soften. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, ginger, curry, cumin, and cloves and sauté for another minute. Season with salt and pepper.
Add in vegetable stock and thyme springs. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, partially-covered, for 20 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs.
While soup is simmering, sauté bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, about 6 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
If you have an immersion blender, puree soup in pot until smooth. Otherwise, puree soup in a blender, working in batches, until smooth. (NOTE: When pureeing hot liquids in a blender, make sure to put a folded towel over lid and hold firmly down while blending.) Season with salt and pepper.
Serve soup in bowls, garnished with a dollop of sour cream (or yogurt), crumbled bacon, and parsley.

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