Good food feeds the soul
Simple. Delicious. Real Food.
Okay, I’m just going to say it! Massaging kale to make it tender for kale salad is 100% silly. Instead, save the massage for yourself and make my Kale Salad with Apple and Persimmon tossed with a Lemon Dressing. I created this salad for a …
Cinnamon rolls hold an incredibly special place in my heart because my mom always made them for Christmas morning. We’d wake up and open presents and then eat fluffy warm cinnamon rolls for breakfast. But she never made cinnamon rolls like these – Apple and …
Are you ready for some Roasted Pork Pancakes with Apple, Radish and Jalapeno Slaw and Hard Cider Drizzle on Winter Squash Pancakes? This is one EXCITING recipe. Savory, sweet, spicy, full of FLAVOR that your taste buds are going to LOVE. I mean you just …
Is there anything better than fresh, warm, corn tortillas wrapped around some meat and veg? That’s heaven on earth for me and the hubby. You can probably tell from the many taco, tamale, and enchilada recipes on this site that we’re obsessed with Mexican food. And I’m talking about …
I usually find the best culinary inspiration strikes when you least expect it. Usually when I’m either eating the dish, or scrolling recipes posts on Insta. Like this totally drool worthy modern take on Pollo alla Cacciatora in Bianco (chicken cooked in white wine) by …
Nothing says summer to me as much as a thick, juicy slab of a perfectly ripe tomato, dressed with nothing but good olive oil, a sprinkle of salt, and a fresh herb…or 2. Rosemary, thyme, basil, or oregano…your pick. The Heirloom Tomato Salad (or just …
White Cheddar Cheez-Its have always been one of my absolute weaknesses. Unfortunately, they’re overprocessed and filled with way too many unpronounceable ingredients, extra fats, sugars, and chemicals found in most store-bought snacks. So, I can’t tell you how happy I was when I realized these crispy …
June is festival season in Portugal which also coincides with the start of sardine season. And Portugal becomes one giant street party. Streets draped with colorful streamers, pulsing with music, laughter, and the irrestiable scent of fresh sardines sizzling over charcoal grills until the early morning hours. Which is …
I orginally shared a Chicken Cacciatore recipe here on the blog back in January 2013, way before I had visited Italy. But it was experiencing it at a hunter’s celebration dinner in Umbria, Italy that really made this dish one of my favorites. Yep, I …
I adore a good veggie burger. The problem is – so many don’t taste all that great and I’m a HUGE burger of any kind fan. So, while my hubby was back in the US visiting his parents, I started creating and testing black bean …
Strawberries are in peak season here in Portugal. So, I couldn’t resist popping some in the oven to make Balsamic Roasted Strawberries with Pink Peppercorns. I served it over a no-bake lemon cheesecake for dessert over the Easter holidays. This recipe is so freaking easy. …
Growing up in the Southern US, fried green tomatoes are often on the menu. So, when a gentleman in the local community garden shared some tomatoes from his vines, I couldn’t resist making a batch. Although this recipe is nothing like the fried green tomatoes …
Back in Denver, one of the hubby’s and my favorite places was an Italian restaurant, called Panzano, where they made a lovely fried eggplant resting in marinara sauce that was to die for. So, this week, I’m bringing you my version of the dish – …
‘Oh, that’s good.’ Lovely words to hear from my friend who tried my latest recipe, a beautiful Roasted Winter Squash Soup with Coconut Milk and Asian Flavors. The cooler weather is here in Portugal and my mind has switched to soup mode. So, much so, on Tuesday it was tomato, and then on Wednesday, this one.
This is NOT another average butternut squash recipe. Sorry, I do love butternut squash and soup made from it. BUT most of them are all the SAME. And there’s so much more you can do with butternut squash.
Try this recipe for example. No sage in sight. Instead, intrigue your taste buds with hints of salty soy and fish sauces, spicy red chili flakes, hints of nutmeg, and the sweetness of coconut milk. It’s like wrapping your insides in a warm comforter while sitting in front of a crackling fire.
And if you don’t want to use butternut squash, then don’t (if you do, no worries – use it). I didn’t. Instead, I used a BIG slice of one of the HUGE winter squashes grown here in Portugal. Called abóbora, there’s so many different varieties, eaten and served year-round in a variety of dishes. One of my favorites is squash jam with walnuts paired with a fresh cheese that is similar to ricotta. And of course, SOUP.
Winter squash comes in so many different sizes (some are HUGE) , shapes, and flavors. Which means you aren’t stuck with butternut (which I do adore, btw). Instead, try out other winter squash flavors in all your squash dishes, like my Fall Squash Pancakes. Varieties such as acorn, kabocha, calabaza, pumpkin, Hubbard, and delicata.
If you’ve never tried delicata squash, I do highly recommend it. Even the peeling on it is edible and it’s so SWEET. Try it using my recipe for Roasted Delicata Squash, Kale, and Black Bean Tacos. It’ll also work in this soup, but I do recommend peeling it for the soup, because the skin texture isn’t quite right.
One squash you will want to avoid for this recipe is spaghetti. Save the spaghetti squash for dishes where you want a substitute for pasta.
It’s EASY to make this recipe vegan. Use veggie stock, instead of chicken. And skip the fish sauce – add a touch more soy sauce instead. Everything else is already there since we’re already using vegetables and coconut milk.
Almond milk or any of the nut milks will work in the place of the coconut milk, in the event you don’t have any or don’t like. You can also use olive oil instead of sesame oil BUT do be aware, the sesame oil adds A LOT of flavor to the recipe. For gluten-free, use Tamari instead of soy sauce. And instead of cilantro, fresh basil, rosemary, thyme, or even sage will work.
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Are you ready to get warm with a hot bowl of Roasted Winter Squash Soup with Coconut Milk and Asian Flavors? I’m off to have a bowl right now since there’s plenty in the fridge. What’s your favorite soup flavor? Let me know in the comments. And please, if you have any questions or comments about the soup, leave them below and I’ll get back to you.
