Did you know that January is National Soup Month?  That is a fact that my husband does not let me overlook.  He loves soup…and would eat soup every single day!  Here on our healthy but oh-so-yummy! segment of the At Home w/ GCH blog, we are celebrating our third annual Soup-Palooza!  Each week this month we will feature soup, soup, soup...and soup!  Use the search feature here on our website to explore other soup recipes that Dana and I have posted in the past.

This week’s recipe spotlights three ingredients that are good for you, and really yummy, too: butternut squash, organic chicken meatballs, and baby kale. Interesting combination, you say? You betcha! I do believe this soup would be equally delicious without the chicken meatballs…making it perfect to serve as a vegan dish.  This soup also freezes (and defrosts) beautifully!  A note on the chicken meatballs: There are a number of brands out there to choose from.  These are the ones that I use…they have no preservatives, no filler, and are organic.  This company offer quite a variety of products—meatballs and sausages.

Enjoy…see you back here next week with another soup!

Butternut-Apple Soup with Chicken Meatballs

ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
cinnamon
1 teaspoon EACH sea salt, freshly ground pepper (I use lemon-pepper blend)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 pkg chicken apple meatballs, cut in quarters
1 small onion, diced
1-2 stalks celery, thin slices
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 tablespoon minced garlic (I use jarred)
1-2 teaspoons herb medley of your choice (thyme, tarragon, crushed rosemary, marjoram)
1-2 large apples, peeled and cubed
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup apple cider
1+ cups water (optional)
baby arugula
finely shredded sharp Cheddar (optional)

directions:

• preheat oven to 400
• line a baking sheet with parchment paper
• cut butternut squash in half; clean out seeds
• peel the skin; cut the squash into 1+1/2″ cubes
• place in large mixing bowl along with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a couple of good shakes of cinnamon, and the seasonings; mix together and pour onto lined baking sheet
• roast for 20 minutes or so ‘til the butternut yields easily when you pierce with a knife; remove from oven and set aside

meanwhile…

• heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in medium stockpot
• add cut-up chicken meatballs and saute ‘til lightly browned (6-7 minutes)
• remove from pan and add the onion, celery and carrot; cook about 5 minutes until vegetables are starting to get soft and caramelized
• add herbs, apple chunks, garlic, season w/salt and pepper saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly
• add stock, water and cider; stir to bring together
• bring to a boil and add roasted butternut squash
• reduce heat to medium low and let simmer about 30 minutes
• using immersion blender (or carefully in a blender/mixer), puree about half the veggies, leaving the rest whole
• adjust the consistency of the soup to your liking, adding up to 1 cup of water (or additional broth) to thin it out if you prefer
• add in the browned chicken meatballs and heat through

to serve:

• put a bit of raw baby arugula (I put in a small handful) in the bottom of your mug or soupbowl; ladle the finished soup on top
• taste for additional seasoning (arugula will make it peppery!)
• finish with a sprinkle of shredded cheese, if you like

   ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥ 

God loves you!   ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen