Please tell me I wasn’t the only one permanently wrapped in a blanket this weekend to stay warm! Luckily, I have been on a soup making kick lately so I’ve at least had belly-warming meals at the ready. Maybe I need to develop a breakfast soup recipe next. Ha, ha! One of my new favorite soups is this 5 Ingredient Butternut Squash-Celery Root Soup. Not only does it have a short ingredient list, it’s very simple to make with just a few easy steps.
Before we get into the delicious details of this soup, I have a question for you. How often do you see an unfamiliar vegetable in the grocery store, and because you have no idea what to do with it, you pass right on by? Or, do you have a list of recipes or foods that you cook and eat and it’s just easier to stick with “the usual” rather than trying something outside of your comfort zone? Let me know in the comments below!
I think we ALL do that to a degree, but one thing I’m trying to do more of this year is to branch out with what vegetables I’m eating and cooking for my family. As a dietitian I know how important it is to eat a wide variety of fruits and veggies, but when it comes down to the actual day-to-day cooking for a busy family thing, it’s not exactly effortless, is it?
What’s the Big Deal About Eating More Variety?
Why is it important to eat a wider variety of foods to keep your health in tip top shape? When you eat a wider variety of fruits and vegetables, you’ll take in a greater range of beneficial vitamins and minerals. You’ll be less likely to suffer from the side effects of specific vitamin deficiencies if you eat a wider variety of fruits and vegetables. Plus, the different fruits and vegetables will be able to work together better to help your body stay energized and healthy.
One Tip for Introducing New Foods
One trick I use when introducing a new food to the family is to combine it with a food they already know and like. For example, if you’re trying to get your kids to eat more sweet peppers, chop the peppers into small pieces and add them to your regular taco meat recipe, which they probably already like.
Or, add small pepper pieces to your meatloaf recipe. The flavor won’t change much, if at all, but your kids will get used to eating the peppers in a food they already know and like. Then, when they see peppers with a different food or cooked another way, they will be more likely to eat them.
I knew that combining celery root and butternut squash in a pureed soup would result in a soup that still looked like butternut squash soup because celery root is white and wouldn’t change the color much. Because my kids already like butternut squash soup, this new soup wouldn’t look much different than what they’re used to, so they would be more willing to give it a try. It’s using tricks like this that can make the difference when it comes to successfully introducing new foods. Give it a try sometime!
What’s Up With Celery Root?
Before you write this recipe off, thinking the celery root sounds too strange, let me tell you a bit more about celery root. You may change your tune and decide to give this recipe a try. You won’t be sorry!
Celery root is also known as celeriac and grows underground, making it a root vegetable. The green stalks and leaves that you will sometimes find still attached to the celery root are the part of the plant that grows above the ground. While celery root tastes like a milder version of regular celery, the stalks on a celery root are not the same as the regular celery we buy in the grocery store.
Celery root needs to be peeled before eating and can be eaten raw or cooked. It’s great raw, shredded for salads, and I think it really shines when cooked into a chunky stew or pureed soup like this recipe for 5 Ingredient Butternut Squash-Celery Root Soup. Give it a try and let me know how you like it by leaving a comment below!
P.S. If you love butternut squash soup, check out this 5 Ingredient Butternut Squash Soup. It’s one of the most popular recipes on my site, and I think you’ll love it!
5 Ingredient Butternut Squash-Celery Root Soup How-To Photos:
5 Ingredient Butternut Squash-Celery Root Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups unsalted chicken or vegetable broth or stock
- 1 pound celery root trimmed, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound butternut squash peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh thyme sprigs optional
Instructions
- In a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot, cook onion in hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until onions are lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Carefully add broth; add celery root and squash. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until vegetable pieces are tender. Remove from the heat; cool about 10 minutes.
- Using a regular blender* or immersion blender, blend soup mixture until completely smooth. Return soup to the pot if needed. Add thyme and salt. Heat through over medium-low heat.
- Ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle with fresh pepper. If desired, garnish with thyme sprigs.
Notes
