South American Squash and Quinoa Soup

As you know, I love squash. Although I hate cold weather, I welcome the many tasty varieties of squash that appear and enjoy developing new recipes that feature this incredibly healthy veggie. Recently, we found this gorgeous Abobora squash at the store. Turns out, Abobora is the most popular variety of squash in Brazil. It was grown here in Massachusetts through a fabulous collaboration between Brazilian and Massachusetts farmers which seeks to research growing and farming conditions, as well as make Brazilian produce locally available here. I was psyched to try out this exotic squash and decided to create a South American inspired soup around it.

This soup is simple, healthy and incredibly flavorful. It features roasted squash with healthy and filling quinoa and some tasty spices. Simple and healthy with a bit of exotic flair. Abobora squash is a Japanese hybrid that has deep orange flesh and a slightly sweet and creamy taste. If you can't find this squash in your hometown, you can substitute Kabocha or Butternut squash.

Read more for the full recipe!

Ingredients:
1 large Abobora (or Kambocha or Butternut) Squash, halved and seeded
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium leek, sliced in half and chopped into 1/2" chunks
1 tbsp ginger, chopped
1 cup of red quinoa, rinsed
3 cups of  water
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika


Step by Step Instructions:


1. Preheat oven to 425

2. Season squash halves with salt and pepper and place open side down on a greased cookie sheet

3. Roast squash for 25-30 minutes, until softened and cooked through

4. Remove and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes

5. In a medium saucepan or dutch oven, saute onions, leeks and ginger in olive oil 5-7 minutes, until soft

6. Add the quinoa, water, cumin, paprika and chili powder

7. Cover and bring to a boil

8. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer 10-12 minutes, until quinoa is cooked and fluffy

9. Scoop out roasted squash and add to quinoa mixture

10. Using a whisk, stir squash into quinoa, breaking up any large chunks, if its too thick, add more water, 1/2 cup at at time, until desired thickness

11. Cover soup and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes

12. Serve with fresh bread or croutons

Nutrition Info:
makes 4 large servings
355 calories
11g protein
5g fat