ROASTED SQUASH AND BACON SOUP






ROASTED SQUASH AND BACON SOUP

Bacon, did I say bacon!  Hubby loved this rich soup!  Half the bacon is blended into the soup. Roasting the veggies made the work load so much lighter.  It is a great way to serve squash actually.  This soup is higher in carbs, so something to keep in mind. It would be a soup more suited to moderate low-carbers.  Ayote squash is a squash popular in Central and South America.  It has a richer, more full-bodied flavor than Butternut squash.  It is yellow to bright orange inside with a mottled green and yellow or cream color on the outside.

Roasted Vegetables:
19 oz Ayote, OR Butternut squash (0.5 kg)
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped (5 oz; 142 g)
3 tbsp olive oil (45 mL)
2 tsp crushed garlic (10 mL)
1 tsp salt (5 mL)
1/tsp black pepper (1 mL)
1/tsp paprika (0.5 mL)
Soup:
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled, divided
4 cups chicken stock (1 L mL)
1/tsp salt (2 mL)
1/tsp black pepper (1 mL)
1/tsp thyme, OR to taste (1 mL)
1/cup grated Mozzarella cheese (60 mL)
Fresh parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). 

To make it easier to work with the squash, pierce the outside with a fork in a few places.  Microwave a few minutes, until it is easier to pierce the outside shell.  Allow to cool.  Cut the squash into cubes, removing the hard outer skin.  In small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, salt, black pepper and paprika.  Stir well.  In large bowl, combine squash, onion and bell pepper.  Pour seasoning oil over vegetables and toss to coat.  Place on large cookie sheet.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork tender. 

In blender, combine chicken stock, vegetables and half the bacon, as well as the salt, black pepper and thyme.  Blend until smooth.  Pour into a large pot and over medium heat bring to the boil. Add water to get it to the consistency you would prefer (it becomes very thick after refrigeration, so more water will be needed upon reheating). Taste a little and make sure the seasonings are to your liking.  To make it spicier, add more black pepper. Serve in individual soup bowls, garnished with Mozzarella cheese, remaining bacon bits and parsley. 

Yield:  8 servings
1 serving
162.6 calories
10.4 g protein
8.9 g fat
1.5 g fiber

9.8 g net carbs 


For other great Low-Carb, Gluten-Free recipes by the team & me:

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