Autumn Veggie Soup (squash, kale, tomatoes & chickpeas)

Butternut Squash, on the vine

By Cat, Jan 2009 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

See also: 1. Soups & Stocks Menu; 2. Gelatin & Bone Broths (About); 3. Herbs & Spices Menu

I’ve not yet tried this recipe, but it just sounded so good when it arrived in my in-box from Fine Cooking, that I had to jot it down for future use. It uses chicken stock, but if you want it to be all vegetarian, you could use a veggie broth.

The recipe uses butternut squash, but you could use any sweet winter squash such as acorn or buttercup. I use black kale but you could use any type of kale.

Autumn Veggie Soup (squash, kale, tomatoes & chickpeas)

I’ve adapted this recipe from Fine Cooking (1), originally by Ellie Krieger. I love the combination of sweet winter squash and kale in this and other dishes.

This recipe uses chicken stock, but if you want it to be all vegetarian, you could use a veggie stock. The original uses a few processed items including lower-salt chicken broth lower-salt canned chickpeas and no-salt-added diced tomatoes. But I don’t buy into this lo/no salt business. Instead, I use unrefined sea salt such as Celtic or Himalayan Sea Salt or Real Salt, and I make my own prepped ingredients the old-fashioned way, then freeze for future use:

• Cook chicken stock using saved bones or a whole chicken,
• Sprout (2 – 3 days) then cook chickpeas (garbanzos); once they are sprouted, they don’t take so long to cook and their nutritional benefit is enhanced.
• Dice fresh, local tomatoes from the farmers market during the summer.

I believe in the extreme healthfulness of homemade bone broths, so use my homemade chicken stock. However, if you are a strict vegetarian, you could use one of my veggie broths such as Potato Peel Broth.

Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients & Equipment:

• 1 cup sprouted chickpeas (garbanzos); about 1/3 cup dried
• 3 medium carrots
• 1 large yellow onion
• 2 medium cloves garlic
• 2-lb butternut squash (to make 2 cups of 1/2” cubed squash)
• 2 cups coarsely chopped kale (I like lacinato or black kale)
• 1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• pinch cayenne pepper or to taste
• unrefined sea salt to taste
• 4 cups homemade chicken stock (or veggie broth such as Potato Peel Broth, for a vegetarian recipe
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• Equipment:
• soup pot

Method:

1. Sprout and cook chickpeas: Sprout the chickpeas over 2 – 3 days; rinse and place in saucepan, cover with water,bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer.
2. Simmer for about 30 minutes, until tender, adding more water as necessary.  During the last 15 minutes, add unrefined sea salt and pepper.
3. Soup prep: Scrub carrots and cut into 1/2 inch dice; dice onion and add to carrots.
4. Mince garlic. Peel and seed squash and cut into 1/2” cubes. Wash kale, trim leaves from ribs, and chop leaves coarsely.
5. If using fresh tomatoes, chop them, and scoop into a bowl with their juices.
6. Cook: Heat oil in soup pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots & onion and cook until they begin to soften, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add squash, spices and 1 tsp unrefined sea salt, stirring to combine.
8. Add chicken stock, diced tomatoes with their juice, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover & simmer for about 10 minutes. Add kale and cooked chickpeas, and cook uncovered until squash is tender and kale has wilted, about 10 minutes more. discard the thyme sprigs before serving.
9. Adjust seasoning and serve.

References

1. Fine Cooking recipe, originally by Ellie Krieger, finecooking.com/recipes/autumn-vegetable-soup.aspx