The following words and recipe were shared with Velocurean by Lorri Lee Lown, Founder and Coach of Velo Girls and President of the NCNCA:

I discovered the fine art of soup making three years ago when the boyfriend was sick and I wanted to make him some chicken soup. I started with a basic chicken vegetable soup and countless variations on that theme until only recently. I’ve expanded my repertoire to include yummy tomato, corn, and black bean soup as well as my new favorite: roasted and curried butternut squash.

This recipe is a blast if you like to play with your food! There’s lots of scooping and squeezing and you’ll definitely get to lick your fingers again and again during the cooking process.

- Lorri Lee Lown

- Photo by Sherry Heck

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 butternut squash
• 2 large sweet yellow onions
• 1 medium head of garlic
• 4-6 cups of vegetable or chicken stock/broth (depending on how thick you like your soup)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp curry powder (your choice, mild or wild)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• A dash of plain yogurt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Cut squash in half length-wise and scoop out the seeds.

Cut onions in quarters.

Wrap garlic in aluminum foil.

Place squash, onions, and garlic on baking sheet and roast in the middle of the oven for 60-75 minutes (or until the squash is soft and squishy).

Remove from oven and let cool to the touch.

In a blender, place squash, onions, and garlic (squeeze cloves out of their skin — like a paste). Add a bit of stock if needed. Puree until smooth.

Place stock and pureed mixture into a stockpot. Add spices to taste. Bring to a quick boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove bay leaf. Serve hot. Garnish with a drizzle of yogurt to add a more complex taste to complement the soup. (We omitted the yogurt and garnished with homemade croutons – Velocurean)

Freezes well for later consumption!