Butternut Pea Soup

A bowl of soup on a cool, Fall day is the perfect comfort food. I had a butternut squash and half a bag of yellow peas and threw this easy and delicious soup together on a busy weeknight. Here's how easy it was!

Ingredients

• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1” cubes
• 8 oz. yellow spilt peas
• 6 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 Tsp. salt
• 1 Tsp. cumin
• 1 Tsp. turmeric
• Pumpkin seeds for garnish

Add olive oil to a large pot over medium high heat, Add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce to low and simmer for 60 – 90 minutes, until the peas are soft. Using a blender or immersion blender, process the soup until it is completely smooth and there are no lumps. Add more seasoning is required. For serving, top each bowl with pumpkin seeds for a nice crunch. 

Looks like someone likes pumpkin seeds!

Here's the sneaky little culprit! 

You can substitute red lentils in place of the peas. If so, reduce the cooking time as they soften much more quickly. It would also be fun to add a cup of canned coconut milk for an extra luxurious tasted and texture. There are no hard and fast rules here. Have fun and make it your own!