Roasted Soups... Perfect for Fall & Winter!

These are two soup recipes that are super easy- roast the veggies then toss them in the vitamix!  All healthy ingredients... no creams or butter.  Roasting gives them such a yummy rich flavor it makes up for being so healthy. They are really versatile- add more of what you love or less of what you don't.  Don't feel stuck to the ingredients!  Maybe your kids will eat it better if you toss some whole grain pasta in there... Make it your own... and pass along any soup recipes you love.  I'm always looking!

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

1 onion 

1 2 pound container cherry/grape tomatoes

2 stalks celery

1 yellow/orange/red pepper

1 cup baby carrots

2 TBS olive oil

1 TBS pure maple syrup

Sea salt and pepper

1 tsp crushed garlic or 3 cloves minced

1-2 cup chicken stock

1 cup almond milk

3 tbs minced basil or 1 tsp dried

Turn oven on 425. (I use convection bake but regular bake is great too). Pour olive oil and maple syrup on baking sheet and then place cut vegetables and cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet. Using a spatula mix veggies into olive oil and syrup. Generously pepper and salt entire pan. Bake 15 minutes then turn, adding garlic on top of vegetables.* Stir with spatula. Bake 10-15 minutes until veggies are soft and browning. Remove pan from oven and use spatula to scoop entire pan into Vitamix blender. Scrap pan getting all juice into vitamix. Add chicken stock, almond milk, basil and blend until desired consistency.   Taste and add more almond milk or chicken stock/salt & pepper as needed.  I store it in the fridge for 5-7 days.  Makes for an easy lunch/dinner!  

*Original recipe called for 2 cans of diced tomatoes being put on top of roasted veggies at this point.  I modified recipe to use more fresh tomatoes, but if you are low on the fresh tomatoes you can use 2-3 cups fresh and sub in some diced canned tomatoes too.

 

Before and After roasting!

Here's a butternut squash soup recipe I love with the original recipe link below... I actually roast the carrots/celery/onion/squash in the oven with 1-2 TBS of Olive Oil and 1-2 TBSP of Maple Syrup, salt and pepper, on 425 for about 20-25 minutes, flipping once.  Then toss in blender with remaining ingredients... If it's too thick it's also yummy to add almond milk bc it gives it a rich thick flavor with added calcium/nutrients.  (Though I'm sure you can thin it with chicken broth too.)  Love using Costco's pre-diced squash and then this is really the easiest recipe ever.. (try goat cheese and pomegranate seeds on it if you want to add a fun twist to it!)

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/classic-butternut-squash-soup

Classic Butternut Squash soup

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cups cubed butternut squash, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add carrot, celery and onion. Cook until vegetables have begun to soften and onion turns translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in butternut squash, thyme, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to purée soup. Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and carefully purée in batches in a traditional blender. 

Three Twists

Apple, Gorgonzola and Almond Butternut Soup
Stir 1 cup unsweetened applesauce into puréed soup. Garnish each serving with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, toasted almonds, a few slices of thinly sliced apple and a small sprig of fresh thyme. 

Thai-style Butternut Soup
Stir a tablespoon of red curry paste and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger into carrot, celery and onion mixture. Add 1/2 cup coconut milk with broth. Purée soup and garnish each serving with toasted coconut flakes and chopped fresh cilantro.

Southwestern-style Butternut Soup
Add a tablespoon chopped chipotles in adobo sauce to carrot, celery and onion mixture. Garnish soup with crumbled queso fresco, toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped fresh cilantro.

Nutritional Info: 

PER SERVING:140 calories (50 from fat), 6g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 280mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate (5g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 6g protein