From A to C Cream of Coconut and Butternut Soup

The following is from The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer Cookbook by Dr. Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S. and Jeannette Lee Bessinger, C.H.H.C., published by Fair Winds Press (2010)

From Dr. Jonny: A great recipe for building the immune system. The red peppers are loaded with vitamin C, the butternut squash is full of vitamin A, and the coconut oil is an antimicrobial. The soup is rich and warming with a surprisingly fresh “bite” from the lime and cilantro. I especially love the way Chef Jeanette has made the recipe customizable for protein and fat content.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil (or unflavored vegetable oil)
1 large sweet onion, diced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons minced ginger root
1 teaspoon salt
2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon coriander
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 ½ pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 1 large squash)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 can (13.5 oz) of coconut milk*
Juice of 1 lime
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

*You can customize this soup for fat and protein content, if desired. Use full-fat coconut milk for the richest soup. If you prefer lower fat and higher protein, use low-fat coconut milk and add one 12.3 ounce block of firm silken tofu. Drain the tofu and puree in a blender until smooth and creamy. Add to the pureed soup and cook for 10 minutes before adding the lime and cilantro.

Instructions

In a heavy-bottom soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onion until soft but not burned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, salt, cumin, coriander and cayenne, stirring to combine well. Saute for about 3 minutes. Add the broth and coconut milk, increase the heat to high, and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until all vegetables are very tender.

Remove from the heat and puree the soup with an immersion blender until very smooth.

Return the soup to the burner and heat on low for 5 minutes. Remove the heat and stir in the lime and cilantro.

Yield: about 8 cups

Per Serving: 338 Calories; 19g Fat (47% calories from fat), 7g Protein; 41g Carbohydrates; 6.2 g Dietary Fiber; 1.7mg Cholesterol; 1493mg Sodium.