Entry for Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - Soup Redux

Today was a chemo day at NIH.  Warren also saw the dermatologist to have the stitches removed from last week's biopsy.  The results from the biopsy revealed that he has a basel cell carcinoma of the skin on his arm (skin cancer).  They say its not the kind that spreads through the body (melanoma), but it will get larger and should be removed.  They won't be doing that there, so we'll have to find a dermatologist locally to have that done sometime in November.  It is not related to his squamous cell carcinomas that are currently being treated, but rather more related to the fact that he was a red head and had very fair skin.  Let the good times roll.

We got home about 3:45 p.m. and I immediately put on my flannel nightgown, a bed jacket and slippers (I've been cold all day).  Once I got comfy, I made myself a hot cup of green tea and settled in with the computer to read my emails and work on this blog.  I'd take a nap, but I'm afraid that I'd just sleep through the night and not fix Warren his dinner, or I'd wake up after an hour and feel groggy the rest of the evening.

I've been trying to decide whether to give you the Winter Squash Soup recipe that I got from my nutritionist or to give you a recipe for what I actually made, because there is a slight difference and both are good.  So what I'll do is give you both.  The first is my adaptation and the second is the "official" recipe.

Cheryl's Easy Butternut Squash Soup



2 pkgs of peeled, cut, seeded butternut squash (available fresh at the Giant)

2 32 oz. boxes of vegetable broth (I use Pacific Organic - you could also use chicken broth)

1 chopped onion

1 cup petite cut baby carrots

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. tumeric

sea salt to taste

cayenne pepper to taste (1 - 2 pinches)



Put all ingredients into a soup pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until all vegetables are very soft.  Let cool slightly and then either puree in a blender or with a blender stick (a great tool by the way).  Soup can be served with a dollop of sour cream or sprinkled with shredded parmesan.

Wonderful Winter Squash Soup



1 winter squash of your choice, cut in chunks (acorn, butternut, pumpkin, etc) with skin on

Optional: 1 yukon gold potato chopped with skin

1 large onion chopped coarsely

2-5 cloves garlic chopped

1 tsp.  ground coriander

1 tsp. tumeric

1 tsp. ground cumin

cayenne pepper to taste (1-2 pinches)

sea salt to taste

extra-virgin olive oil 2-3 tbsp.

water



In a stock pot, saute onion and garlic in olive oil.  After 2-3 minutes, stir in coriander and cumin.  After 2 more minutes stir in tumeric.  Toss in winter squash, pumpkin pieces and potato (if used).  Add water just to cover vegetables.  Bring to a boil and simmer until squash is soft.  If skin is too tough to eat (some melt in your mouth, some don't!), remove cooked chunks and scoop the flesh away from the skin and return the flesh to the soup pot.



Puree in a blender.  Season with cayenne pepper and sea salt.  Serve warm with whole  grain bread and a tossed salad of mixed greens in a vinegrette.

I love soup; homemade soup anyway.  Can you tell?

Have a great evening.