Easy Thai Coconut Butternut Squash Soup

Makes about 10 cups

Squash roasting time: 45 minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Soup cook time: 15+ minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash ($1.75)
• 2 tablespoons of oil, divided (olive, vegetable, or canola)
• 1 onion, diced ($1.50)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 apple, peeled & chopped ($.79)
• 2 teaspoons of ground ginger (or 1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger)
• 2 heaping teaspoons of Thai red curry paste (more or less depending on your spice preference) ($3.69/jar)
• 32oz Organic chicken broth ($3.49)
• 1 can (14-ounce) Organic Light coconut milk ($3.39)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Toasted sweetened shredded coconut, for serving – optional (but highly recommended!)

Instructions:

• Roast the Butternut Squash (This can be done days in advance) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Halve squash lengthwise and scrape out all the seeds. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, brush the cut flesh with about 1 tablespoon of oil, and place flesh side down on foil. Roast squash until it is very soft – depending on the size about 45 minutes to an hour.  Allow Squash to cool for about 10 minutes and then scoop flesh out of the peel into a bowl.  Use immediately in soup, or place into a sealed container and refrigerate for about a week or freeze up to 2 months.

• Make the Soup. (While the squash is roasting-if doing this in one day) In a large pot, add the remaining tablespoon of oil, onion, garlic and peeled apple and sauté on medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until onions are soft.  Add Thai red curry paste and ginger and stir briskly for about 30 seconds. Next add the broth, coconut milk and the roasted squash and simmer for at least 10 minutes. I simmered mine for 1 hour.  

Purée soup with an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender or food processor) – and serve.

For serving: Optional— Top soup with toasted sweetened shredded coconut. I used cilantro instead. 

Apple & Leek Pork Chops

Brian made this recipe and it was really good. this recipe comes from AllRecipes.com. We did not eat the pork chops over wild rice, rather we ate it with this brown rice and vegetable salad recipe. 

Ingredients:

• 4 (4 ounce) lean boneless pork loin chop
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 2 tart green apple, sliced
• 2 medium leek, white portion only, sliced
• 2 cups unsweetened apple juice
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 cups cooked wild rice or long grain rice

Directions:

In a nonstick skillet, brown pork chops in oil for 3-4 minutes. Turn chops; add apple and leek. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the apple juice, orange peel, rosemary, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; add to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with rice.

Nutrition:

One serving (1 pork chop and 1 cup sauce with 1 cup rice) equals 508 calories, 10 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 71 mg cholesterol, 1,282 mg sodium, 74 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 31 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 starch, 3 lean meat, 1 fruit, 1 fat.