Food brings people together

This community of people who live the paleo lifestyle have common denometers: fitness, diet, and a view of how the interact with each other. I have found so many people who have traveled this road longer and farther than I have who are willing to share their experiences and insight with me. It is a wonderful network. The sharing of ideas on meals and exercise is open for anyone. I have been inspired by their guidance and direction.

One thing that is true the world over is that people come together over food. Holiday meals, lunches with coworkers, or providing when a meal when someone is unable. The recipes shared throughout the paleo community are no different. I found recipes that I have shared with others, borrowed other peoples and have made my own little changes to them. Here is one for a soup that is perfect during cold miserable days.


 Butternut Squash Apple Soup
 
1 Butternut Squash
1 Leek
3-4 cloves of garlic
Olive Oil
1 ½ quarts of water (more or less) or chicken stock
1 chicken bouillon cube (if not using stock)
2-3 cups of Sugar free Apple Sauce (homemade is best)
Salt & pepper to taste
Sage & Thyme or Cinnamon & Nutmeg to taste
 
This recipe was inspired by Mrs. Cara B. of Primrose and Paleo.  I added the apple and loved the results, so did everyone I shared it with.

Roast the squash in the oven until soft, at 350 degrees for about 45-60 minutes.  While that is in the oven; chop the leek and sauté it in the olive oil in a large soup pot. Once the leek is transparent, add garlic and sauté. Be careful the garlic doesn’t burn. After a couple minutes add the stock/water and bring to a simmer. When the squash is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool some. Slice it open to remove the seeds and skin.  Cut the squash into chunks and add it to the soup pot, bring it to a boil.  

When the squash is soft enough to mash with a spoon, turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to puree everything.  If the soup is too thick add a little water to thin it out.  I thought about using my blender at this point but it could not have taken all of the soup at once and it would have created more of a mess, the immersion blender works perfectly.  If you don’t have one, a potato masher would work for the squash but the leeks and garlic would still be whole. That is not bad or wrong, it just gives the soup a different consistency. At this point add the apple sauce, adjust the amount to your liking. Add the salt and pepper to taste then chose either sage and thyme or cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.  Either way, savory or sweet, it is good.  

I used sage and thyme then topped it off with crispy bacon chunks.  Very good!  The next time, I am going to roast/bake the apples and add the chunked up bits with the squash instead of using apple sauce.