Curried Squash, Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup

By Hklbrries

Leafy dark greens.

The bounty of nutrients in spinach, collard greens and kale boost your health. But if you've been dutifully eating your share of greens you may be "kaled out," as Judy Caplan suggests.

You don't have to limit your winter diet to one slice of the color wheel; redecorate your plate with another wholesome and delicious hue.

Go orange.

Orange vegetables, which are plentiful during cold-weather months, are high in vitamin A, which fights infections and keeps your mucus membranes healthy, according to Caplan, registered dietician, spokesperson for the American Academy of Dietetics and Nutrition.

Hard-shell squash, carrots and sweet potatoes are rich in carotenoids, pigments that give plants their distinctive colors. These carotenoids, when eaten as plant foods, may protect your body against certain cancers and heart disease.

The sunny vegetables also deliver dietary fiber to help you feel full and are fat-free: all the satisfaction for relatively few calories.

However, don't stop with vegetables. Orange is the go-to color for beneficial spices, including saffron, cumin, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and red chile peppers.

Curcumin, a substance in turmeric, is being studied for its potential to prevent Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The ingredient may also prevent or slow the growth of head and neck cancers, according to another UCLA study, published in the journal, "Clinical Cancer Research."

You can get a double helping of flavor and nutrition, by combining orange vegetables and spices in your menus.

For example:

Make butternut squash soup with ginger and curry powder (which contains turmeric)

Bake cinnamon-scented carrot muffins.

Saute orange bell pepper strips with onion. Serve with turkey-based nitrite free sausage (which is well-seasoned), says the dietitian, in private practice, with Nutrition Ammunition, Vienna, VA.

You don't have to choose among orange vegetables or seasonings when you prepare the following squash, sweet potato and carrot soup. The soup can be made in advance and refrigerated up to three days. It also freezes well.

Orange Aid:

Orange you glad you can enhance your health with a new color? Here are some nutritional highlights:

Butternut squash: High in vitamin A and potassium. Good source of dietary fiber and folate. About 80 calories for a cup of cubes.

Carrot: High in vitamin A. About 25 calories in a medium-size carrot.

Sweet potato: High in vitamin A; good source of dietary fiber. About 120 calories in a medium sweet potato.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp canola oil
• 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 tsp fresh grated gingerroot
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces (2 cups)
• 2 cups cubed butternut squash (see note)
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half

Preparation

Step 1

Note: Cut-up butternut squash is available in most supermarket refrigerated produce sections. If desired, cut up a small squash to yield 2 cups.

Heat oil in large pot over medium high heat. Add onion and gingerroot and cook 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender. Add carrots, sweet potato, squash, broth, curry powder, salt, cumin, paprika and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and cook until vegetables are very tender, about 40 minutes.

Puree mixture with immersion blender, or puree soup, half at a time, in blender. If using blender, return soup to pot. Add half-and-half and heat through over low heat, about 5 minutes.

Nutritional Information:
Per serving
110 calories
2 g total fat
2.75 g protein
21 g carbohydrates
.6 mg cholesterol
578 mg sodium
3 g fiber