Integrative Nutrition Recipes

By Sharon Stevens

I have always had a sweet tooth. Ice cream, cookies, pudding, you name it – I love it! Unfortunately, my waistline doesn’t and I’ve never been a fan of the sugar crash either. So, when I was a student at Integrative Nutrition one lesson that really stood out for me was that you could help alleviate sugar cravings by getting more naturally sweet foods into your diet.

And thus my search for the perfect sweet vegetable began. I had never been a huge fan of the texture of squash – growing up I always found it a little too slimy. But once I discovered that blended squash transforms into sweet, smooth, heaven – I was hooked!

This is a deliciously warming soup for the winter season. It’s silky, luscious, and creamy – yet completely vegan and totally healthy – the entire thing only has 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil! The rest is just the goodness of the hearty squash and pumpkin.

Triple Squash Soup

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

1 small onion or 2 shallots

1 butternut squash

1 acorn squash

1 pumpkin or winter squash of your choice

2 springs fresh thyme or pinch of dried thyme

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt plus a little more for seasoning

8 cups water or vegetable stock

freshly ground black pepper

3 teaspoons curry powder

cayenne to taste

Optional modification:

Reduce water or stock by one cup and add in a can of coconut milk.  Note: this will increase the fat content of your soup but the taste is delicious – so choose wisely depending on your goals.

Directions:

1. Thinly slice the onion. Peel, scoop out, and cut squash into small sized chunks all about the same size. Strip the thyme leaves from the stems (discard stems).
2. Heat vegetable oil in large saucepan or soup pot over low heat. Add onion, thyme, and salt (and curry if desired). Increase heat to medium, cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the squash and the water/broth. (If doing so do not add coconut milk here just yet we’ll add that in later). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered until the vegetables are totally tender (around 20 minutes).
4. Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender or in small batches in a standard blender (make sure you have a blender that can handle hot liquids and keep the lid cracked to let the steam escape. Be careful transferring the soup – it’s hot!). Add the coconut milk in as you are blending if so desired. Blend until smooth.
5. Return to pot and simmer on low heat but don’t let it boil. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve in a nice big bowl. Sprinkle with a dash of paprika, cayenne, chives, cilantro, or parsley for a little extra zing. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Happy Cooking! Happy Eating!

Sharon Stevens, Integrative Nutrition Class of 2009, is an actor-singer-dancer turned certified Health Coach on a mission to spread passion, joy, and the word of wellness to the world. Sharon found her niche working with artists dealing with body image issues and hectic lifestyles. She takes prides in supporting others to find their voice, get comfortable in their own skin, and tune the most magnificent instrument they have – their body, mind, and spirit.