Creamy Butternut Squash, Pear and Cranberry Soup with Crispy Kale

Direct from Golubka Kitchen | Serves: 4-6 as a side, 2-3 as dinner | Time: ~25 min

Ingredients

Soup

2 tbsp EVO

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced

1 tbsp fennel seeds

1 medium butternut #squash, cubed

1 #pear, cored and cubed

1 cup #cranberries, thawed if frozen

1 13.5oz can light Thai coconut milk

¾ cup water

S&P, to taste

Crispy Kale

1 small bunch #kale, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces

1-2 tbsp EVO

1 tsp maple syrup (I used agave nectar instead)

1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast

S&P, to taste

Instructions

Soup

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium high heat. Add leeks and cook for 3 minutes until tender. Add fennel, squash, pear and cranberries. Stir to coat with oil and fennel. Add coconut milk and water and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and let cook, covered, for 15 minutes or until vegetables are cooked through and tender.

Transfer soup to a blender and puree, seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve with crispy kale.

Crispy Kale

Preheat oven to 400°F (200° C).

Place kale onto a parchment paper-covered or silicone mat-lined baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup, add nutritional yeast, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly with your hands.

Place into the oven for 7-9 minutes, until crispy. Kale can burn very fast, so watch it closely.

How it turned out

Without the kale, it's a little too sweet for my taste, and too much fennel. With the kale chips, the flavor balance is perfect. If you can't do kale, I'm not sure what to add for balance. Ideas always welcome.

Journal

Food & Drink

7 glasses of water

1 piece of provolone

Baked spinach

Soup

Exercise

~4.25 miles of walking