Taste of Fall
The bright orange pumpkins this year, with their orbital heads and crazed grins, are reminiscent of the strange and downright ghoulish political climate we are in. On stage and in the spotlight, some pumpkin head politicians with plastic orange hair, are really out of their gourd! However, the luminous glow of the grinning pumpkin face on the porch, reminds me of my favorite gourd, straight off the vine. That’s the Kabocha. It offers the quintessential taste of the fall. Kabocha has a dull -finish and deep- green skin that is edible. On the inside, it is has magnificent bright yellow to orange colored flesh. Kabocha is naturally sweet in flavor and can be used to enrich any savory or sweet dish. Kabocha squash has great health benefits: it is an excellent source of beta carotene that converts to Vitamin A in our body. Vitamin A is valued for its ability to build healthy white blood cells that boost immunity. It is also a good source of iron, vitamin C, some B vitamins and lots of fiber!
Enjoy this simple, no-nonsense ‘Taste of Fall’ soup in order to keep your dog pose long and strong and your deep vital force (ojas) flowing.
May this soup bring round-hearted joy to us all!
Surya and Tias
Kabocha Squash Soup
Ingredients
1 Large onion or 2 medium onions
1 large Kabocha squash
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 cups vegetable broth
3 cups of almond milk
2 tsp salt
pungent sautéed greens (dino kale is perfect) for garnish, with a squeeze of ginger
Instructions
Thinly slice the onion.
Using a spoon discard the seeds from the kabocha squash and cut into thin wedges.
Remove the skin and cut into small equal size cubes
Heat the coconut oil over medium heat in a pot and cook the onion until soft
Add the kabocha squash and saute to coat with oil
Add the vegetable broth and bring to boil
Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 15min
Insert a fork in kabocha and check if its fully cooked
Puree the soup in batches in blender ( I love the Vita Mix blender) until smooth
Add the almond milk and stir until combined
Do NOT let the soup boil
Season with salt and ground pepper
Stir over moderately low heat until it is not
Serve the squash soup into bowls
Garnish with the sautéed greens
