Skinny (but creamy) Butternut Squash Soup

Usually, normal people don't crave soup in the middle of the summertime when it's hot and humid outside, but I am not a normal person. We recently were hit by a large monsoon storm, and all I could think about was some creamy soup. Plus, my boyfriend was traveling for work, so this was an easy dinner-for-one fix. Some soups can be full of butter and thick creams, but this soup is also not like the others, and is made of lots of fresh veggies, it's sweet, yet spicy, and lite coconut milk helps to thicken it up at the end of cooking time. The slam dunk to this recipe? Each 1-cup serving is only 210 calories!

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced 
• 1 2-lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 potato, washed and cut into cubes
• 4 cups vegetable stock or water
• 1 cup canned lite coconut milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (for an added kick!)

In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onions, and a pinch of salt, stirring until translucent, 3-5 minutes. 

Add squash, carrots, potato, and stock. Bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes until the vegetables are nice and soft. Remove from the heat and add the coconut milk.

Puree soup with an immersion blender, or blend in batches. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep fresh in an airtight container. You can also keep this in the freezer for future use (just be sure to let it cool to air temperature before you freeze).