Thick, creamy soups often get their satisfying richness and texture from heavy cream; full of flavor but full of fat. I’ve discovered a way to remake creamy butternut squash soup into something rich tasting and satisfying, yet far healthier.
Recently I cooked dinner for a special assembly of guests with very specific dietary requirements. The “no” list included: no beef, no pork, no high mercury seafood, no shellfish, no dairy, no gluten, no wine or spirits. In addition, it needed to be all natural and organic. Although it sounds challenging, it was exciting creating a health-focused, four-course dinner menu to celebrate the launch of The Daniel Plan.
The Daniel Plan is a comprehensive approach to a lifestyle of healthy eating developed by top leaders in the medical field. The team includes Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Daniel Amen, and Dr. Mehmet Oz in conjunction with Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. It’s about being stronger, thinking sharper, and feeling better for the rest of your life. Click here to learn more about The Daniel Plan.
The dinner menu I created included butternut apple soup with sweet curry, tossed green salad with raspberries, toasted pecans and creamy raspberry vinaigrette, herb and Meyer lemon roast bone-in chicken breast, roast carrots and parsnips with herb and garlic “butter”, and wild and brown rice pilaf with dried apricots. For dessert, a gluten-free, dairy-free, Meyer lemon almond polenta cake served with fresh berries.
Dinner began with a richly flavored soup of pureed organic butternut squash, organic Granny Smith apples, and spices. Creamy and vibrant orange in color, it is scented with sweet curry, ginger and a pinch of chipotle and clove. The soup is easy to make and holds in the refrigerator for five days, so you can make it ahead. No fancy tools required, just a pot to simmer the vegetables in and a blender to puree. I use a Vitamix for it’s power and 2 quart capacity. See my notes at the end.
Instead of using heavy cream, I discovered an amazing non-dairy cream replacement called MimicCreme. MimicCreme is vegan, soy-free, gluten-free, cholesterol free and has the consistency of cream. I used the unsweetened almond and cashew cream version in the soup. It was fantastic. Switching from heavy cream to MimicCreme trimmed 45% of the calories, 80% of the fat, all of the saturated fat and cholesterol, and none of the flavor.
As I continually look for ways to help my family, friends and clients eat more healthfully, I was excited to discover MimicCreme. It has great possibilities for making many recipes healthier. I can’t wait to experiment with it more. Check their website to see where it is available in your area or click here to order online.
Incorporating ideas from the vegan lifestyle would do us all good. Just a few small changes in our daily choices can yield great results, like trying MimicCreme instead of cream or half and half.
Healthy Butternut Apple Soup
Simple to prepare, this creamy, vibrant orange puree of squash and apples is scented with clove, sweet curry and ginger. By using MimicCreme instead of cream, this soup is very healthy and vegan. No one will ever know. Make it ahead. It will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Yield: A little over 2 quarts (about 2 liters)
Serves: 6 for a main course (12 ounces or 360 ml) or about 9 for a first course (8 ounces or 240 ml)
Ingredients
1 2 ½-3 pound (1.1 – 1.3 kilos) raw, organic butternut squash (or use 2 1/4 pounds of the ready, pre-cubed squash)
2 ¼ pounds (1 kilo) Granny Smith apple
3 cups (700 ML) water
2 teaspoons agave syrup (or sugar)
1 tablespoon of mild sweet curry powder
¼ teaspoon of ground chipotle powder (optional)
2-3 teaspoons pureed organic ginger in a jar (or fresh finely zested with a microplane)
Pinch of ground clove
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1½ cups (350 ML) unsweetened almond and cashew MimicCreme (see their website for stores or buy online at this link)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives (optional garnish)
Directions
1) Cut a thin slice off the top and bottom of the squash. Peel butternut squash with a sharp vegetable peeler. With a sharp, heavy knife, cut across the neck and round base of the squash separating them. Then cut each piece in half lengthwise. This will make the squash easier to handle. With a tablespoon, scoop out the seeds and fibrous flesh of the bottom of the squash. Discard. Chop the squash into medium chunks.
2) Peel apples, core and cut into medium chunks.
3) Place squash, apples, water and agave syrup in a 4-5 quart pot or sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until squash and apples are very soft, about 3o minutes.
4) Puree mixture in a blender in 2-3 batches for safety. I use a Vitamix blender for it’s large capacity and power (notes below). Place a folded kitchen towel over the blender lid and holding it in place, turn the blender on low. Slowly crank up the speed and puree the mixture until smooth. Blender should not be more than half full when you start. Start on a low speed then crank it up slowly for control. Hot liquids expand quickly when pureeing in a blender. Be very careful. Alternatively you can use a hand held immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot but the Vitamix will give the smoothest puree.
5) Add the spices, ginger, salt, pepper and MimicCreme to the Vitamix. It should be hot enough to pour and serve. Heat soup gently over low heat until hot if you have made it ahead and refrigerated it. Taste for seasoning. For garnish, sprinkle with chopped chives.
Note – if you are making the soup ahead, cool the soup by placing it in a sink filled with ice and water in a metal bowl or pot. Stir occasionally until completely cooled before refrigerating. Using a wire rack under the pot will help the soup cool faster. If soup needs to be thinned after heating, add a little MimicCreme or water to reach desired consistency.
Helpful links about healthy eating, making better choices at the grocery store, and tools:
Vitamix Blenders are the best on the market. It’s the last blender you’ll ever buy. Mine has been going strong for more than 12 years. They are an investment, but a fantastic “power tool” for your kitchen. Order here and get free shipping. Check out My Top Tools page for my full product review.
Chemical Cuisine– learn about food additives at The Center For Science in the Public Interest
The Shoppers Guide to Pesticides From the Environmental Working Group
10 Easy Ways to Sneak Nutrition Into Your Diet by Jeanette Hurt
Deliciously Organic – blog and cookbook by author Carrie Vitt
6 Steps to a Vegan Diet at Second Act
Click here to learn all about The Daniel Plan, a comprehensive plan developed by top leaders in the medical field. Link to the diet & nutrition articles
Subscribe via RSS or
This post contains links to Affiliate Programs, where I may receive a small commission for any purchases.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Sally,
This soup looks amazing and thanks for the tip about MimiCreme. I’ll have to give it a try, as all my recipes are vegan now, and I follow the same kind of healthful eating as the sites mentioned above. Lovely photo, too!
Stephanie
Thanks Stephanie! I also just updated my recipe index to reflect more vegan recipes and a note on the classic tomato soup with MimicCreme as well.