Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato, and Apple Soup

As summer turns to fall, the weather begins to cool considerably and both the availability of some great fall fruits and vegetables, and the desire to warm up conspire to make this the perfect time to make homemade soup.

Freshly ripening ingredients at this time of year include butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and apples. While it may not be obvious at first, these three ingredients can combine to make a creamy, smooth soup that really warms you. And, with nothing but vegetables and chicken or vegetable broth, it makes for a very healthy meal. It's loaded with veggies and low in fat.

The prep time for this soup is about an hour and a half from start to finish, with the boiling time being an hour, and the prep being fairly quick (basically a bunch of peeling and chopping).

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash, pealed, seeded, and cubed

2 large sweet potatoes or yams, pealed and cubed

3 medium onions, peeled and quartered

3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and cubed.

8 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

Procedure

1. In a large stock pot, combine the ingredients and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for approximately 1 hour, until all vegetables are soft.

3. Remove soup from heat, and carefully spoon ingredients into a blender or food processor. Puree the combination (it should be a smooth, orange, creamy looking mixture), and return it to the stock pot.

If you have time, it is safer to let the mixture cool before you blend or process. If working with hot mixture, take extra care not to splash or spill any of the hot mixture onto yourself.

4. Season to taste and serve.

This makes a good sized pot of soup, certainly enough for dinner for an average-sized family plus leftovers. I like to make a batch of this soup on the weekend and have it for lunches and quick dinners during the week.

The beautiful thing about making soup is how flexible the process is. It's more of an art than a science, one could say. To mix things up, try changing the quantities of different ingredients in the soup. If you don't like onions, don't add them. If you want more apple flavor, add more apples. If you have some carrots, turnips, or other fall veggies in the fridge, throw them in the mix.

You can also season this soup many different ways, depending on what you're in the mood for. Try adding fall seasonings such as cinnamon or nutmeg, or add ginger to give the soup some kick.

The key is to come up with a combo that works for you. This soup is easy to prepare, healthy, and without a doubt, will keep you warm as the days get longer and the temperature drops.