Cool Weather Comfort Food

Warm up during the cooler weather and shorter days with this velvety butternut squash and orange bell pepper soup. Enjoy this comforting soup with the whole family or in a thermos for lunch. This versatile vegetable soup adds garlic and paprika to round out the flavors, which makes it both savory and satisfying.

Winter Butternut Squash and Sweet Pepper Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

• 1 medium leek, white part only, chopped

• 1 large orange bell pepper, seeded and diced

• 4 cups diced butternut squash

• 1 tsp. chopped garlic

• 1 tsp. sweet Hungarian paprika

• 3 cups fat free, reduced-sodium chicken broth (for a complete vegan variety, substitute vegetable broth and a small dash of cumin)

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds, crushed (for garnish)

• 1/8 tsp. Spanish paprika, smoked or dulce (sweet), optional, for garnish

(As always, for the healthiest version of this recipe use organic items as much as possible)

Instructions:

Heat oil in medium Dutch oven or heavy, large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté leeks until translucent, 4 minutes. Add bell pepper, squash and pinch of salt, stirring to coat with oil. Reduce heat, cover and cook vegetables gently to release juices, 10 minutes.

Stir in garlic and paprika for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add broth, increase heat and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer soup until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Uncover, and let soup cool for 10 minutes.

Transfer soup to blender, cover and whirl soup to a velvet puree. Blend in orange juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, divide soup among four soup bowls. Place pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat and cook, shaking and swirling the pan, until seeds are plump and mostly golden. Crush seeds and add to soup as garnish. If using, sprinkle Spanish paprika. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 250 calories, 10 g. total fat (1.5 g. saturated fat), 37 g. carbohydrate, 9 g. protein, 7 g. dietary fiber, 430 mg. sodium.