Acorn Squash Soup

Dear Mt. Juliet Toastmaster Club Members,

At the meeting on Monday May 9th, 2011, there was a request for a written out version of the acorn squash soup recipe that was discussed.  Here it is:

Squash is not just for pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, it is good all year round. To make Acorn Squash soup: Clean the skin with water. Pierce the skin with a fork so that it does not explode as it cooks. Microwave for 7 minutes per pound, or bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes per pound. When you can easily pierce the flesh with a fork, it is ready to take out of the oven or microwave.  Scoop out the squash flesh into a pot on top of the stove, add a quart of chicken broth and a teaspoon of coriander to the mix; let it simmer on the stove until it boils. Then pour a small portion of the pot's contents into a blender for a few seconds, then pour the blended portion back into the pot. Continue this until all the contents are well blended. It is okay to be a little chunky. From start to finish acorn soup is ready in about an hour.  As a garnish, sprinkle a few roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) on top, then serve piping hot with some crusty bread.

This is a crowd pleasing orange vegetable starter for a lunch or dinner meal.

Mother Would be Proud

Chronic disease like type two diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and arthritis take 10 to 30 years to develop and are preventable. 

The big picture, drum beat mantras for good health say: Get 6-8 hours of sleep each night; Exercise 30 minutes each day; and Maintain a healthy weight. Along with that, how well are we meeting My Pyramid's nutritional recommendations for optimum health?

Did you have five servings of vegetables today?  Did you include dark green or orange vegetables?  If yes, you mother would be proud...