Recipe: Butternut squash bisque

A bisque is a creamy and smooth soup that can be made with lobster or other seafood, but this is a flavorful vegetarian version.  

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 6 cups cubed butternut squash (about 4 pounds)
• 4 cups cauliflower florets
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 2 medium apples, peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 ½ cups low sodium vegetable stock, plus more as needed
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• Bay leaf

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 to 425 degrees.

Place parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Spread butternut squash, cauliflower, onion and apple in one layer on a large baking sheet, if desired you can spray veggies with non-stick cooking spray. Season with Italian seasoning. 

Roast vegetables for 30-45 minutes, or until fork-tender, stirring frequently with a spatula or large spoon to even out the browning. Remove from oven.

Let roasted vegetable mixture cool slightly on the baking sheet. 

Put half the mixture in a food processor (or blender). Add the cinnamon, ginger, salt, garlic, vegetable stock and maple syrup and process until smooth. Add contents from food processor with a bay leaf to a large pot (do this step twice if your food processor cannot adequately handle this quantity of ingredients). If the soup appears too thick, add more vegetable stock. 

Heat soup until it simmers, stirring frequently (about 10 minutes). Garnish with scallions, chives, herbs (thyme, sage, parsley), toasted nuts, sour cream/plain Greek yogurt if desired and serve. 

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 

140 calories, 0g fat, 35g carbohydrates, 140mg sodium, 3g fiber, 12g sugar (including 3g added sugar), 3g protein

Recipe from Cecelia Jacobson, Registered Dietitian for the Oregon Heart and Vascular Institute at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend.