Fast Butternut Squash Soup for One (Paleo Friendly)

Every holiday season I end up with a whole lot of butternut squash...the benefit of having lots of gardening friends! I LOVE butternut squash, and my favorite preparation is Butternut Squash Soup. Today I was craving it, and I JUST SO HAPPENED to have baked and scooped the flesh out for use later. It's very handy to have extra frozen or refrigerated, already cooked winter squash on hand to use for soup bases or thickening, to add to protein shakes, or to use in baking.

I recommend that you make a poultry bone broth often (there is a recipe for it on my blog) and keep a container of it in your fridge. I like to drink at least one hot cup a day with a little sea salt. Bone broth will come in handy whenever you want to throw together a fast soup. You can use boxed or canned broth if you prefer (stick to low sodium) and vegetable broth will work just as well as bone broth.

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT HOMEMADE BONE BROTH: Most homemade bone broth will have fat solids floating on the top (you can scoop this out, but if you are not worried about fat consumption, don't!) and it will have a jelly-like consistency once it's been refrigerated (see photo below). That is GOOD! Don't throw it out! I keep mine for about 2 weeks in the fridge. Often I will remove the fat from the top and use it for cooking. Just store it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

So here is the quick easy recipe I used today for my soup. The basic recipe is Paleo Friendly. What you do after the basic is up to you! You may want to add other spices to your taste, but this is the basic low cal recipe for one large, or two small servings.

Fast Butternut Squash Soup
(270 calories for the entire recipe without options)

3/4 cup butternut squash purée (any winter squash or pumpkin works well)
1/2 cup broth
1/4 cup coconut milk (low fat if you prefer)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp organic honey
Dash of nutmeg
(Optional: tsp balsamic vinegar, Tbsp maple syrup, dash of cinnamon, grated white onion, grated garlic, finely chopped apples, crumbled bacon for topping, a sprinkle of cheese for topping)

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan on medium high heat. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. (You can also do this step in a blender, magic bullet, or food processor prior to placing in saucepan.) Let the soup simmer for 3-5 minutes. Place in a bowl, top if desired, and enjoy!