Butternut Squash-White Bean Soup

March is National Nutrition Month and the theme is COLOR! Adding a variety of foods in your diet specifically foods of various colors helps you to get all of the nutrients and important vitamins in your diet. Every color of food has different properties, each having disease fighting and health promoting properties. Studies show a plant based diet reduces the risk of chronic diseases including obesity, diabetes, and many types of cancer. 

The weather is still not warming up and soups are not only a great way to warm you up in the winter but also a great way to increase your daily intake of vegetables. This soup contains high amounts of fiber, protein and vitamin A. The combination of sweet butternut squash and hot spices adds a great flavor and warms you up from the inside out. 

Butternut Squash-White Bean Soup Recipe:

1 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups (3/4 inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1.5 lbs)
1/4 cup white wine
4 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin 
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup whipping cream 
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (15oz) cans great northern beans (these are sometimes hard to find, you can also get white beans, try to get reduced sodium)  rinsed and drained. 
3 tablespoons unsalted pumpkinseed kernels, toasted

1. Add onion, celery, and garlic to pan, cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add squash, cook 3 minutes stirring occasionally.

-Don't worry about getting the squash soft by this point, it will continue to cook and soften as you add liquid ingredients.

 2. Add white wine; cook until almost all liquid evaporates. Stir in broth, cumin, red pepper, cinnamon, and cloves; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes or until squash is tender.

3. Stir in remaining ingredients, leaving out seeds. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with pumpkinseeds.