Butternut Squash Soup with Quinoa

Can you believe we have more than 100 recipes on this blog now? Isn't that awesome? We'd like to thank you, our readers, for supporting us. To our family and friends who are always there, thank you for tasting our food and nagging us with a line "You must share this on your blog!". Well, this soup is one of them.

It's been bitterly cold here in Toronto, Ontario - Canada. May I repeat? Too cold! Never in my 12 years living in Canada, have I ever experienced a deep freeze temperature (-20 Celsius and lower) for a consecutive of 15 to 20 days. Even my son who is 18 months now, blurted his frustration our of the blue one morning "Cold, cold. No more. I no like!". My full-time work is getting busier and I spend quite a few time late in the office till 7 pm. I keep telling myself that it's just a phase and when the weather gets warmer in about a month, things will get better. I keep my fingers crossed. Then, at home, I have been challenged by the most difficult food critic ever! Baby A. Ever since he was 5 months, he had never been picky at all. He ate peas, kale, pumpkins, anything green and yellow you can think of, including rapinis which are bitter. Well, he is now a changed toddler. He starts picking out his peas or any vegetables that are not soft-cooked. I am not sure if it is just a phase or perhaps, he's getting his molars? But then that never stops me cooking vegetables for him. Dinner for him is what's served on the table or no more dinner and he will go to bed hungry.

Warm soups are comforting and I grew up drinking bowls and bowls of soup every day. I made this soup out of ingredients that were available in my fridge at the time. I added quinoa to make it filling and to provide added protein for the little guy's growing needs. With the addition of quinoa, the soup is not as smooth as regular butternut squash soup. However, it is equally good and it fills us up without adding bread (more carbs) into our diet. 

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 6 - 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 ribs of celery, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 4 cloves of garlic, sliced 
• 3 cups chicken broth (replaced with vegetable broth for vegetarian option) 
• 5 cups water 
• 1 medium-large sized butternut squash (about 9 cups of cubed squash)
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa 
• Salt and pepper, to taste 
• Half & half cream (optional)

METHOD: 

1. In a pot, melt 3 tbsp of butter and sautee onions and garlic for 3 minutes 
2. Add in butternut squash and celery, cook at high heat for 5 minutes till the squash develops slight golden colour 
3. Add in the broth, water, bay leaves, salt and pepper 
4. Close the lid, boil at high heat and then lower to low-medium 
5. Boil for another 30 minutes
6. In the meantime, rinse quinoa in a strainer 
7. Add in the quinoa and boil for another 20 minutes 
8. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if required 
9. Turn off the heat and let the soup cool down for an hour 
10. Discard the bay leaves, transfer to a blender and puree till smooth 
11. Serve the soup with cream drizzled on top