Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

This butternut squash soup is great for PCOS women because it’s dairy-free and low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium; but high in healthy fats, folate, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and B6.

All these vitamins and minerals make the soup a perfect immune-boosting meal on a cool fall evening!

This soup serves 8, so you’ll have plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Ingredients

1 head garlic
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
8 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash (about 2 medium)
2 cups peeled and cubed carrot (about 2 medium)
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
8 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup cilantro root or stems
1/4 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (only if you need it sweet)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves
Roasted sunflower seeds

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Line two large baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper.
3. Cut off the top of the head of garlic, brush with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of the salt. Wrap in parchment paper, then foil (to allow the garlic to steam and not burn, and to reduce aluminium transfer). Place on one of the baking sheets.
4. Toss the butternut squash, carrot, and onion in the remaining olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and spread out on the prepared baking sheets.
5. Roast for about 1 hour, until the vegetables are cooked but not burnt. You don’t want any black bits. (You’re going to put them into the pot to boil and cook further.)
6. Once the garlic and vegetables have roasted, allow them to cool slightly. Squeeze the garlic pulp out of the peels. This should yield about 2 tablespoons of roasted garlic.
7. While the vegetables are cooking, steep the cilantro root in the broth in a large saucepan.
8. Transfer the roasted garlic and vegetables to the saucepan with the broth, and add the coconut milk, minced ginger, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-high, and simmer, partially covered, for about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse. Remove the soup from the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly.
9. Pour the soup into your blender in batches and puree on high for 30 to 60 seconds, until smooth and creamy. (For conventional blenders, remove the small center lid cap and cover the opening with a kitchen towel so steam can escape while you blend.) Return the soup to the saucepan, season to taste, and warm it over low heat. Add maple syrup to taste, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro leaves and roasted sunflower seeds.

Recipe courtesy of The Blender Girl.

Serves 8

I hope this post has inspired you to start seeking freedom from your PCOS symptoms and learn that eating a PCOS-friendly diet doesn’t have to be hard.

____________________

Want more recipes that will help mitigate your PCOS symptoms? Grab your free copy of my One Day PCOS-Friendly Meal Plan now!