Squash and Pepper: A High Fiber match made in Heaven

Squash and Pepper: A High Fiber match made in Heaven

I was browsing around the aisles at Trader Joe’s and picked up a carton of their ‘Squash and Roasted Pepper Soup’. Simply delicious, but at almost $4.00 / carton and only four servings, that’s not very cost-effective for me and my family of four. I can easily consume 4 servings in one meal. So I decided to recreate and revamp the recipe by adding additional nutrition perks. I added apples and beans and it tasted super delicious. Apples gave it the subtle sweetness I wanted and the beans just made the fiber skyrocket through the roof. Team this soup with some homemade rolls and they make Dinner a “I don’t want to leave the table meal “.

 Some Nutrition Nuts and Bolts about the key ingredients :

Squash : Great source of Vitamins A, E and potassium. High content of Vitamin A makes it a superior cancer protection vegetable. Richer the color, the higher the concentration of Vitamin A.

Sweet Peppers : Loaded with high (really high) amounts of Vitamin C.  Also has Vitamin A, B1, B6 and Folic.  Vitamin C and  Beta Carotene  (vitamin A) gives protection against cataracts and eye disorders.  It has high amounts of capsaicin which have been touted with fat burning qualities due to increase in metabolism.

Beans : Low fat protein loaded with potassium, protective antioxidants and phytochemicals. Bursting at the seams with all the goodness of fiber. Pinto beans in particular have this amazing quality of just sliding seamlessly into most dishes without altering the taste. Bonus: they increase fiber in the dish. I like beans so much, will probably do a solo post on them sometime.

Apples : A natural mouth freshener with Vitamins C and A. Has large amounts of soluble fiber in the form of pectin which prevents cholesterol build up  and keeps the arteries clean … hence the old adage “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”

High Fiber Squash and Sweet Pepper Soup

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Serving Size: 8 oz ( 1 cup)

Ingredients

  • I large butternut squash, peeled seeded and cubed
  • 2 medium red peppers, cored, seeded and halved
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 Granny Smith Apples , cored, peeled and chopped
  • 1 can Pinto Beans
  • I tsp Curry powder or your favorite spice seasoning
  • 2 cans (16 oz) Vegetable broth
  • 2 tbs Olive Oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Saute all raw ingredients in olive oil for 5 minutes.
  2. Add vegetable broth, salt and pepper and cook on medium high till it comes to a boil.
  3. Partially cover saucepan, reduce heat to medium- low and simmer for about 20 minutes till squash is tender.
  4. Transfer soup to food processor or blender and process till smooth.
  5. TIP - Make your own vegetable broth by boiling 1 cup vegetables in 2 cups water for 20 minutes and then strain. Good vegetables for stock are onion, cabbage, carrot, spinach, potato. Stock can be frozen for future use.
  6. VARIATION - you can roast the peppers by broiling for 8 minutes at high heat. The skin will get blackened, but you can scoop the inside and use. This gives the soup a nice roasted flavor.
http://www.suesnutritionbuzz.com/2011/11/04/squash-and-pepper-a-high-fiber-match-made-in-heaven/

 

 

 

Bonus : Whopping 7 gms of fiber is great and 5 gms of protein for a vegan soup is super !! 

Note that this soup  provides almost all of your day’s requirements for Vitamin A and half of your Vitamin C requirements.

Low in fat and lower in sodium than most soups.

 

Try these  scrumptious dinner rolls as a  perfect accompaniment to the soup.

 

 

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