Thursday, August 23, 2012

Italian Summer Squash Soup




Variety of summer squash Tom harvested in one day!
White Patty Pan, Yellow crookneck summer squash,  & Green zucchini squash

Garden Gold!  The bounty from Tom's garden simply keeps multiplying, especially the varieties of summer squash.  I remembered from last summer that the yellow crookneck summer squash has a particularly creamy texture when pureed into a soup.  This creation was a quick throw-together that Tom ate as a side dish before I pureed the remainder for me.  The fresh herbs from the pots on the deck are what really made this dish pop with flavor. Of course, feel free to put in whatever fresh herbs you have available.  The possibilities are endless and each full of Pzazz!


Italian Summer Squash Soup

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons coconut oil
4 cups cubed crookneck summer squash
(peel the squash if it grew to mutant size and the skin is tough, otherwise there is no need to peel it )
1/2  cup chopped yellow onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Variegated lemon thyme
2 - 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh lemon thyme        
2 - 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh purple basil
1 - 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground cracked pepper


Purple basil with sweet basil



Preparation:
Heat the oil in large skillet and saute the onion and garlic until brown and fragrant.  Add the summer squash and saute until the squash is tender.  A bit of water or broth might be needed to prevent sticking. Add the fresh herbs and salt and pepper and cook until the herbs are wilted and tender. Pzazz!  It's ready to puree and eat!    



               
Potted herbs on the deck
Variegated lemon thyme, rosemary, lavendar, watercress and chamomile


Nutrition: 
Servings per recipe: 4
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 88
Total Fat: 7 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 150 mg
Total Carbs: 6   g                                                          
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 2 g