Winter Squash Soup with Apple, Ginger, and Coconut

My friend from high school, Erica Carlson, has a great blog! Check out her recipe for Winter Squash Soup! Kitchen Dancing. Cooking with a Conscience, Eating with Intention

Here is my version:

Squash, Asian Pear, Apple, and Ginger Soup

Recipe By :Kristin Hoppe, www.foodtherapysf.com

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 medium squash, butternut -- kabocha, delicata; halved and seeded
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon allspice -- ground
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon -- ground
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg -- freshly ground
1 medium onion -- chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger -- minced
1 large asian pear -- peeled, cored, and chopped
1 large apple -- peeled, cored, and chopped
1 cup coconut milk
8 cups vegetable mineral broth
cilantro -- minced

Preheat oven to 425 F.

In a small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and spices.

Brush the inside flesh of the squashes with the oil/spice mixture and place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Roast in oven 45 minutes, until tender. Remove from oven and cool.

In a large pot over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Add onion and saute until golden brown. Add ginger, asian pear, and apple and saute until fruit softens and turns golden brown.

Deglaze pot with 1 cup mineral broth. Add additional 4 cups of broth. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

Scoop the flesh of the squashes into the apple mixture. Mash the squash into the mixture.

Stir coconut milk into squash-apple mixture and let simmer for 15 minutes, allowing flavors to blend.

Using a blender, puree the soup in small batches. If soup is too thick, add additional mineral broth while pureeing.

Return pureed soup to stove over low heat, add additional mineral broth to achieve desired consistency.

Season to taste with sea salt.

Garnish with cilantro or ground nutmeg.

TIP: Vegetable Mineral Broth

Over a few weeks I gather most of what I need for a mineral broth. I keep a bag in the freezer where I put vegetable compost such as onion and garlic peels, carrot and celery ends, potato peels, leek tops, and parsley stems. You will be amazed how quickly you gather a pot worth of veggies.

When I make the mineral broth, I add the contents of the freezer bag and then add additional onions, carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, and garlic. I also add a piece of kombu for extra minerals. I then fill the pot with water, bring to a boil, and then let simmer for a minimum of 4 hours.

When you are satisfied with your broth, allow to cool and then strain the veggies and kombu out.

You can use your mineral broth now or freeze for later.

Nourishing Bone Broth

Nourishing Bone Broth Recipe!

These broths are extremely healing, immune supportive and make excellent bases for soups, stews, and grains.

Nourishing and Healing Bone Broths
by Daniela Freda, LAc
www.danielafreda.com

In Chinese Medicine, warm soups and broths are especially recommended during the Fall and Winter. One of the most nourishing foods is broth made from cooked bones. In Chinese Medicine, "like heals like" and we use bone broths to heal and strengthen bones. We recommend bone broths to prevent loss of bone mass, to heal arthritis, soft tissues, cartilage and bones. Because the Kidney organ rules the bones, we also use bone broths to strengthen the Kidneys. And because bones contain marrow, we use bone broths to strengthen blood.

Bone broths are prepared in cultures around the world not only as a base for soups, but also as a healing and easily digested medicine. Bone broths have been used for colds and flu and for supporting the sick and weak. Bone broths are a way to sustainably eat meat- using the whole animal. For example, I suggest roasting a whole chicken, eating the meat, and saving the bones in the freezer. You can use the bones to cook into a bone broth. The broth can then be used to make soups, cook grains or beans. Stocks contain essential minerals and with a pinch of sea salt can be used in times of needed hydration.

Bone broths are highly nutritious, and we can see in the nutrient profile why they are so helpful for bone issues. Broths made with cartilage-rich bones contain chondroitin sulfate (often a supplement used for joint pain associated with osteoarthritis), and hyaluronic acid (also a supplement used for arthritis because it lubricates joints). Bone broths contain gelatin (which is a cooked extracted form of collagen) which is healing to the digestive system. Bone broths also contain the amino acids glycine and proline. Bone broths contain easily absorbable minerals and is an excellent source of calcium and phosphorous. (I recommend bone broths as a calcium source for those who don't tolerate dairy). Broths also contain magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfate and fluoride.