Butternut Squash, Apple, and Carrot Soup

We had a surprise 4-day week due to the well earned snow day on Monday, and I have to say I have felt GREAT these past 4 days. Could that be because of the shorter week? One day off with 14 inches of snow and an energetic Berner does work wonders.

Or perhaps it's due to the fact that my principal told me that at a district gala last weekend a few of my classroom parents and herself were "loving' on Ms. Baker to the assistant Superintendent"? Or perhaps because I've done a great job working out the past couple days, which is always a struggle after work? Or maybe because I have been eating the leftovers of an amazing, healthy soup I made? One can only speculate... but I'm pretty sure it's a combination of all of these things. I've had a great week!

I've been trying for better photography, like some food blogs I read, but I think for those quality pictures I'm going to need to break out my Nikon d60 and purchase a flash attachment. Perhaps one day I'll get to that point, but for right now, I just want to eat when I'm done cooking. Not only is it delicious food, but I'm HUNGRY!

This soup was a simple creation, but did take some time because the squash needs to be roasted before hand for about an hour. This worked for me as I squeezed in a workout during this time, but for a weeknight meal it can be a bit time consuming. You could potentially roast it the day before, but I was not that organized!

You could top this with a number of different cheeses, but I choose applewood smoked Gruyere. Gruyere is one of my favorite cheeses, and the applewood added an awesome compliment to the soup. However, it is not a very soft cheese and does not melt well. For the melty effect, I would suggest a smoked provolone. Trader Joe's also has a great Swiss and gruyere shredded mix that would be awesome.

Butternut Squash, Apple, and Carrot Soup
Serves 3

 (229 calories for the soup, plus 330 calories for the bread and cheese)

1 large butternut squash

1 pink lady or Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped

1 Vidalia onion, chopped

1 medium carrot (or 2 smaller ones), chopped

2 cups veggie broth

1 can light coconut milk

1 tablespoon allspice 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

French bread, sliced ( 1 or 2 days old is better)

Applewood smoked Gruyere cheese, or your choice of substitute.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. After cleaning it out, brush with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, checking periodically.

As the squash cools, heat some olive oil in A large pot over medium heat. Sauté the the onion for 7 to 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add the carrots, Apple, and the spices and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Scoop the squash out of the skins and added to this next year. Then, add your veggie broth and coconut milk and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until carrots are very soft.

Using your immersion blender, blend the soup into a purée. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Turn your oven to broil. Place slices of French bread on the top rack, and watch for browning. When the tops of the bread are brown, turn them over. When the other side is also brown, take them out and place them in the bowl with the soup. 

Lay slices of cheese in a thin layer over the bread. Place the entire bowl inside the oven under the broiler. Watch as soon as cheese begins to bubble and brown, taking it out when the cheese has reached your desired consistency. 

Enjoy! 😊

Chipotle Pepper Pockets with Avocado Crema

My favorite thing about Super Bowl Sunday food is definitely the apps. It's my favorite way to eat, sampling a variety of different foods small-plates style. On this particular Sunday of the year, the spread is not usually very healthy, full of chicken wings and dips and soaked in a sea of cheesy goodness. Hey, I'm not complaining! I love it as much as the next person. But it is nice to have a healthier option that's not your token veggies and dip. Cue these chipotle pepper pockets.

I've made these a few times and they are a crowd pleaser, something that people bring up weeks after the party. Not only are they healthy, they are jam packed with flavor! 

If you haven't used it already, adobo paste is awesome. I used the brand Doña María, add water and brown sugar, and it's a great sauce for taco meat or anything else you can think of. Add a little cayenne, or chipotle peppers in this case, to spice it up and it's all the better.

Chipotle Pepper Pockets with Avocado Crema 

Makes 12 pockets

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 yellow onion 

1 1/2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely diced (1 small can)

1 tablespoon of adobo paste 

3 tablespoons water 

2 teaspoons brown sugar

Phyllo dough

Avocado Crema 

2 ripe avocados

1 cup plain Greek yogurt 

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

2 limes, Juiced

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 clove garlic

Preheat the oven to 375°F. 

Heat a pan with some olive oil over medium heat. Add to your diced onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until they are beginning to look translucent. Then add your diced red and green peppers, and sauté for another seven minutes until vegetables are soft and beginning to brown. 

Then, add the chipotle peppers and sauté until fragrant. Add the adobo paste, water, brown sugar and mix until the sauce is set. Remove from heat and prepare the pockets. (Note: this mixture will be very spicy! That is a good thing, it allows the crema to have it's amazing cooling effect.)

Cut the phyllo dough into about 4 inch wide strips. 

Arrange them in alternating directions in each cupcake tin, three strips to each tin.

Fill each pocket with your vegetable mixture and fold the strips over to seal the pocket. 

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Allow to cool if you minutes before you add the crema.

While your pockets are baking, make the avocado crema. Add all the ingredients in to a blender, and blend until smooth. When the pockets are cool enough, put a dollop of the crema  on top and serve immediately. Enjoy!