Classic Butternut Squash Soup and Broiled Bok Choy with Garlic

Cooking with friends is fun! On a dreary, snowy day my friend Sruti came over and we enjoyed a nice afternoon indoors of cooking. I had some butternut squash at home, and she had a big bag of bok choy, so I decided to pair the two with a classic creamy butternut squash soup and roasted bok choy. The result was light, yummy, and a perfect meal for a cold winter day. This recipe is super simple and should serve around 4 people comfortably. I hope you enjoy!

Health Stuff: 

Butternut Squash: Butternut squash is best in the winter/fall. Although sweet and a source of carbs, it is a low-calorie food, and contains tons of antioxidant properties and nutrients such as Vitamin A and C and fiber.

Bok Choy: Bok Choy is a green member of the cabbage family, found often in asian dishes.  Bok choy  is great for weight loss as it has no sugars or fats and is rich in vitamins A, C and K. Can’t go wrong with this one.

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For the Soup…

You Will Need: 

• 2 packages of peeled and cubed butternut squash, or 2  medium butternut squashes if you are cutting them yourself
• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped (depending on the size, mine were smallish)
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 bullion cube or low sodium vegetable broth
• Nutmeg
• Salt and pepper for seasoning

To Prepare: 

1. Prep the veggies.  (10 minutes max)

2. In a pot, heat a few tbsps of extra virgin olive oil. Sauté the onion and carrots until the onions are translucent.

3. Add the butternut squash and sauté for a few additional minutes.

4. Add water and the bullion cube and  reduce the heat, allow the soup to simmer for around 10 minutes.

5. Once the veggies are softened, remove the pot from the flame and let it cool briefly.

6. Blend in a blender or using an immersion blender (my preference)

7. Add water as necessary and a few splashes of milk. 2 percent should be fine as the butternut squash is creamy as it is.

8. Grate some nutmeg over the top, season with salt and pepper to taste.

9. Eat! Cooking time should be around 20 minutes.

For the Bok Choy…

This broiled bok choy recipe is super simple and fast and makes a great side dish. I was looking for a non-asian interpretation of bok choy, and this one does the trick! The leaves end up getting nice and crunchy, and the bok choy itself is crisp, yet tender. It has a great texture and flavor combination. Eat immediately, though, it does not taste good soggy.

You Will Need:

• Baby bok choy
• Garlic
• Lemon juice
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

To Prepare: 

1. Depending on the size of the bok choy, halve or quarter the individual bok choy pieces, leaving the stem on so that  it stays together.

2. Rinse and submerge the veggies in water for a few minutes allowing any sediment to sink to the bottom.

3. Once the bok choy is cleaned, drain and dry them

4. Thinly slice around 5 or so cloves of garlic

5. Toss the bok choy with olive oil, salt and garlic and lay flat on a foil tray or baking sheet

6. Preheat the oven to 400° , or use the broil setting

7. Bake until you see the leaves crisp up, around 5 minutes.

8. Drizzle with some lemon juice and season with pepper

Serve this meal with some rustic bread or whole wheat toast drizzled with olive oil.

Thanks Sruti for a wonderful afternoon!