Sweet Vegetables and Squash Soup

This Sweet Vegetables and Squash Soup was on the back of my mind ever since that one day I spotted on the cover of Every Day with Rachel Ray magazine while standing in line to pay at the grocery. It’s the sweet potatoes that attracted my attention. While I like smoked sweet potato very much, I never have it as a soup.

Last night was the perfect opportunity to make the soup as a “no-meat” dinner to make up for the carnivore meal we had the previous nights.

This soup is a mouthful of rich, sweet, and peppery flavors which also could be a great dip for bread or even naan, if you ask me.

Warning! The chipotle has a strong peppery kick to each spoonful. Taste it before hand if you want to add black pepper which I omit totally. Like the hot flamin’ cheetos, it makes you want more and more. If you are not a fan of spiciness, omit it.

Sweet Vegetables & Squash Soup

improvised from Rachel Ray’s Carrot Sweet Potato and Squash Soup

Serving: 4 – 6 as entree
Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp puree of chipotle in adobo sauce
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 onions, chopped
1 sweet apple, peeled and chopped
1-inch piece ginger root, finely chopped
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt for taste
4 cups chicken stock, plus extra to reheat
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and chopped (or any other kind of squash)
1 pound organic carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon lemon or orange juice

Garnishes:
Crumbled browned Mexican chorizo
Toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds
Creme fraiche or Sour Cream
Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Preparation:
Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the chipotle, coriander, cumin, paprika, garlic, onions, apple, ginger, and grated nutmeg. Cook for 5 minutes partially covered.

Add the stock, honey, kabocha, carrots and potatoes. Cook partially covered until very tender, 35 minutes.

Puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a food processor.

To serve, add a little citrus juice for a pop and top soup with assorted toppings of your choice.

To store, cool and fridge for a make-ahead meal. Add a cup of stock if soup thicken when reheat.