Harvest Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

Ah, autumn. This time of year screams soup to me. While I love creamy soups, I do not love the calories and fat that comes with them. I have found, however, that by pureeing vegetables, you can get that creamy flavor and texture as well as a pack of nutrients.
This is not a quick recipe with all the blending in batches and slow cooking, but when you’re done, you’ll have a lot of great soup that you can freeze or share with your mother-in-law.

This recipe said you could use an immersion blender instead of the regular kind, but I don’t know what that is. Can you make margaritas with an immersion blender? If so, I’ll buy one! (photo by VirtualErn)

Harvest Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

1 glug olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced

4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the cooked vegetables to a slow cooker.
Add sweet potatoes, squash, stock, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper
Cook on low for six hours.
(Or transfer ingredients to a large soup pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 1 hour.)
Puree the soup in batches using a blender or food processor.

Make it a meal: Serve with focaccia.

Wine: A nice Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz for hearty flavor