November is one of those months that evokes the need for some soul food.
Soup is one of my comfort soul foods ~ especially on a cold dreary day like today.
Here's a simple sunshine soup recipe to warm the spirit ~ a rich velvet goodness!
This photo taken today in my back yard ~ believe it or not this is a color photo!
This sunshine soup is inspired by and dedicated to my father that passed away in November thirteen years ago. I thought of him as I prepared the butternut squash from our garden and created this soup. As a child I remember him loving butternut squash ~ saying it soaked up the suns rays all summer and held them inside... so that when we ate it later in the year we would be eating sunshine. I'll never forget that. This soup's for you Dad...
Country Don
A painting of my father done by my talented sister.
A painting of my father done by my talented sister.
Sunshine Soup
Roses too, always remind me of him ~ many, many years ago when I was twelve, he bet me a dozen roses I would marry my buddy Schroeder. I giggled at his prediction and thought he was so silly ~ turns out he was right. Two years after he died I did marry that boy. He knew and I know smiles down with an "I told you so"!
***
To make this soup you will need
1 butternut squash
2 small sweet potatoes or 1 large (I love the organic ones they simply glow with color!)
1 can of coconut milk ( I love the "Thai kitchen" organic ~ so rich and creamy)
3 or 4 cups chicken broth (veggie broth would work great too)
a nugget of fresh ginger
a splash of maple syrup
salt to taste
To begin roast your butternut squash (cut in half and seeds taken out) and sweet potatoes (whole and pricked with a fork) at 350 for about an hour (basically until soft).
Peel your nugget of ginger and grate it into a blender or food processor.
Peel skins off your cooked (and hopefully somewhat cooled) squash and sweet potatoes and add in with your ginger.
Blend in batches with coconut milk and enough broth until you have a smooth blend.
Place it all together in a pot.
Add the rest of your stock, a swirl or two of maple syrup, salt to taste and if you choose ~ add hit of cayenne as the finale (or just to your own bowl if you are serving up wee ones)
Sit down with someone you love and enjoy the "sunshine"!
I love soup and am always on the look out for new recipes to feed my clan.
If you have one you are willing to share ~ please link to it in the comment box. I look forward to the many simmering pots full of nourishing goodness
If you have one you are willing to share ~ please link to it in the comment box. I look forward to the many simmering pots full of nourishing goodness
inspired by YOU!
Turns out the soup was a BIG HIT with my girls ~ which is always a victory in my home!
In honor of a man that shared so much sunshine.
gratitude
~ Shanti ~
Dear Shanti,
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful blog post, I love how you wrote about your dad and what he said about the sunshine and the soup:) Thank you for sharing this very special recipe:)
xo
Linda
Love that sweet story.
ReplyDeleteYum. We love soup too. May I recommend Native Forest coconut milk? As far as I can tell it is the only canned coconut milk without BPA in the can lining (and it tastes great too!).
oooh thank you! We will try this out tomorrow. The kids will love the idea of sunshine soup.
ReplyDeleteShanti, how i loved every moment of this post. Just this week we have had lots of foggy days and we have had soups too. The painting of your father is a very special treasure. We love butternut soup and will definitely try your recipe, Sunshine soup is fabulous for these grey November days! We love Unity Soup here - we all help to dice carrots, celery, swede, potato, a dash of tomato puree, a bit of ginger and some vegetable stock. Very hearty and made with lots of heart.
ReplyDeleteHappy days to you.
I forgot to add we have been enjoying the wonderful Stone soup story and making Stone soup too this past week.
ReplyDeleteA great recipe which we will definitely use, but also a touching and personal post. As we make this soup we will also be thinking of those who have had special people as a part of their lives.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post, thank you for sharing your memories. That painting is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI will have to try your liquid sunshine soup, I live in Oregon and we could use a little sunshine for sure.
Sniff, what an incredible post - looking forward to trying your soup past summer - looks exactly like the goodness my children will crave.
ReplyDeleteSuch a sweet post Shanti. I remember Dad loving squash, but I had never heard that part about it soaking up the sunshine! So nice to still be learning new things about Dad even after he is gone. Thank you! Also, the soup looks incredible. I make a soup almost just like this but it is made with pumpkin, coconut milk, white beans, sage, cayenne. I actually have sweet potatoes and squash that I need to use up, and I will definitely try this soup!
ReplyDeleteI have a few yummy recipes:
ReplyDeletehttp://fletchingtonfarms.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/recipes-5/
http://fletchingtonfarms.wordpress.com/2010/10/23/this-and-that/
http://fletchingtonfarms.wordpress.com/2010/08/07/disappointment/
http://fletchingtonfarms.wordpress.com/2010/05/24/recipes/
Enjoy!
Gotta love soul food. There's just something about the winter months and hearty meals. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOh, yum! I have added butternut squash, sweet potatoes & coconut milk to my shopping list... Hooray for Sunshine Soup! I'll be sending thanks and thinking of your father as the soup bubbles on my stove...
ReplyDeletehello this looks fab, I will be making it later. there is a soup company here in the UK which makes amazing soups, bit the best thing is they have also brought out some recipe books, here is a link to it for all you guys over the pond.
ReplyDeleteval
http://www.amazon.com/Covent-Garden-Soup-Companys-Soups/dp/075220503X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1290271217&sr=8-1
Aaawwww. I love this post, and yeah, like Lucy said, I never heard him say that about squash either. Such a great way of looking at things, thanks so much for sharing! Love you!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Here is a freaking delicious recipe:
Lentil Coconut Soup
Serves 6.
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 apples, large, cubed
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tbsp coconut oil, virgin
2 cups (400g) organic red lentils
2 tbsp curry powder
1 can (400ml) coconut milk
6 1/2 cups (1650 ml) vegetable stock or water
1 lime (juice from)
sea salt to taste
Directions
1. In a heavy bottomed soup pot, “sweat” onion, garlic and celery
in coconut oil on medium heat for approx. 15 min, stirring constantly.
2. Add apples and sweat for another 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Stir in curry powder and 150 ml water or stock and continue
cooking for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add lentils and remaining liquid. Bring to a boil stirring constantly.
Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Once lentils are fully cooked, add coconut milk mixture.
6. Liquefy with an emersion blender (hand held). Add lime juice.
Salt to taste.
Yummy! And what a beautiful, sweet story.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the great recipes! I look forward to trying them all.
ReplyDeleteThanks Grace for the Native forest tip. I shall have to see if my local health food store could start to carry that for us.
Happy soup season!