Late summer is a time to feel gratitude for the abundance in our lives. Visits to the garden and tailgate markets are a great testimonial for this abundance. Following is a recipe I created for a web site worldshealthiestfoods.com. I have gotten rave reviews on this soup. Give it a try and let me know how you like it.

Mary

Golden Squash Soup

Offered by Mary Lane

This is a perfect recipe to celebrate the abundance of the late summer season. I created it for the web site worldshealthiestfoods.com. Enjoy!

Prep and cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled and cut into about ½ inch pieces, (about 3 cups)

1 large onion, chopped

3 medium cloves garlic, chopped

1 TBS chopped fresh ginger

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp curry powder

2 ¾ cups + 1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth

6 oz canned coconut milk

2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro

salt & white pepper to taste

directions:

1. Peel squash and cut into pieces.
2. Heat 1 TBS broth in medium soup pot. Sauté onion over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until translucent.  Add garlic, ginger, and continue to sauté for another minute. Add turmeric, curry powder, and mix well. Add squash and broth, and mix. Bring to a boil on high heat. Once it comes to a boil reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered until squash is tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Place in blender and blend with coconut milk. Make sure you blend in batches filling blender only half full. Start on low speed, so hot soup does not erupt and burn you. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Thin with a little broth if needed. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Reheat, and add cilantro.

Serves 4-6

Berries, Berries Everywhere

It is berry season! I just finished gathering wine berries which grow all along the dirt road where I live. I have been picking them on every hike, walk, saunder along the river. they have been everywhere in abundance this year. Now, the blackberries are taking over the spotlight with wild blueberries right behind them. My strawberry patch is still providing enough strawberries every morning for my granola. I am in berry heaven. Following is an idea from my book that is fun and makes for a variety of usses for all the berries. Doesn’t matter which kind.

BERRIES & HERBS

Pick wild berries, or get them from your local farmer’s market. If you have fragrant leaves such as Rose Geranium, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Balm, Mint, or Lavender make an infusion with one type of these leaves by removing just the leaves from the plant, rinse thoroughly and add to water. The amount depends on the amount of berries you have picked, approximately ¼ cup liquid to 1 ½ cups berries.

Use plenty of leaves for flavoring. Add raw sugar, honey, or agave according to how sweet you like things, and simmer these leaves in the sweetened water for about 20 minutes.

Strain out leaves and continue to simmer until liquid has slightly thickened. Let cool to warm temperature and pour over bowl of berries and let cool.

You can make several flavors and then freeze this mixture in batches for smoothies, or indulge in berry desserts for the summer such as berry crepes, berry shortcakes, berries with yogurt, the list is endless.