Roasted Butternut Squash & Tomato Coulis

Butternut squash is packed with minerals such as potassium, manganese and copper.

Using winter squash as part of your fall and winter meals can make for healthy and hearty lunches and dinners. Winter squash, such as acorn, Hubbard and butternut squash, are high in beta-carotene and other vitamins and minerals. Winter squash is versatile, able to be made into a dish by itself or be mixed with other vegetables for a fully rounded meal. For a healthy, all-vegetable soup that is full of flavor and will easily fill your family up, make a roasted butternut squash soup topped with a cherry tomato coulis.

Things You'll Need

• Vegetable peeler
• 2 butternut squashes
• Knife
• Glass baking dish
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• Stockpot
• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 2 quarts of vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon of clover honey
• Immersion blender
• 1 pound of cherry tomatoes
• Paper towel
• Aluminum foil or silicone baking mat
• Baking sheet
• Food processor
• Mesh strainer
• Bowls
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Use a vegetable peeler and peel 2 butternut squashes. Slice the squashes in half lengthwise using a knife and remove all seeds. Cut the squashes into 2-inch cubes.

3. Place the squash pieces in a 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish. Liberally sprinkle salt and ground black pepper onto the squash. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil onto the squash. Place the squash into the oven and roast for about 45 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and allow the squash to cool.

4. Heat a medium stockpot on medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pot. Peel and dice 1 large onion, 2 large carrots and 2 celery stalks. Mince 2 cloves of garlic. Add the vegetables to the stock pot and turn the heat to medium. Cook the vegetables until they soften and the onions turn translucent -- about 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of white wine. Simmer until the liquid reduces by two-third -- about 20 minutes.

5. Add 2 quarts of vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and 1 tablespoon of clover honey to the pot and mix well. Simmer the vegetables for another 45 minutes. Add the roasted squash and use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables until the soup is smooth. Place on a back burner set to low.

6. Rinse 1 pound of cherry tomatoes under cool running water and pat dry with paper towel. Place the tomatoes on an aluminum foil- or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet.

7. Sprinkle the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, salt and black pepper. Roast the tomatoes in the oven for about 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes to a food processor and puree until smooth. Press the tomatoes through a mesh strainer into a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and mix well.

8. Pour the soup into a serving bowl and top with a drizzle of the tomato coulis.