As a yoga teacher, many people tend to assume I am a vegetarian. Well although I strive to maintain a healthy diet & conscientiously walk the path of “ahimsa,” – I am not 100 percent vegetarian. And occasionally, I can be found munching down a burger at San Francisco’s Burger Meister.

Yet today (for the 2nd day in a row), in approximately 45 minutes, I whipped up something simply amazing – a vegetarian butternut squash soup that will excite even the biggest carnivore. I’m sure you will enjoy the chipotle flavor.

(And thanks to Jolinda Hackett, you now have a fresh & simple recipe to impress your friends with ….).

Check it out!

Vegetarian Butternut Squash Soup with Apples

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 large onions, finely chopped
• 2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks (approx. 6 cups)
• 2 pounds apples, peeled and cut into chunks, about 5-6 apples
• 2 cups apple juice
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Preparation:

Heat the oil and butter in a large soup pot and cook the onions and chili powder until onions are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the squash, apples, apple juice and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat until the apples and squash are very soft, about 30 minutes.

Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a food processor, return to the pot and adjust the seasonings, thinning with apple juice or water until it is at the desired consistency.

Garnish with fresh diced apples, sour cream and parsley if desired.

“There are as many reasons to go vegetarian as there are vegetarians! Whatever your personal reasons, you’ll find cooking tips, food and product reviews and recipes for every diet and occasion on this site. I hope to arm you with all the resources, information and inspiration you need to make the transition and stick with it. So pull up a chair and join me in exploring the many ways a vegetarian diet and lifestyle can benefit your health and please your taste buds.”
– Jolinda Hackett

Vegetarian Recipes:

Team Raw
Vegetarian Times
VegWeb.com
Fat Free Vegan
Green San Francisco