Crookneck Squash Soup with Curry and Ginger

This is another tasty way to use up that abundance of yellow crookneck squash in your garden or that your neighbor keeps giving you.  I won't be giving mine away because Crookneck  is one of my favorite varieties of summer squash, with fast-growing prolific plants, and a mellow flavor.  The slightly bent neck is what earns it the name of Crookneck.  The bumpy skin looks deceptively tough, but it is actually quite thin and tender, and there is no need to peel it off.  Any type of yellow summer squash could be used for this recipe.  

This recipe is an adaption of one I discovered on Examiner.com.   The ease of making it and the use of ginger were what grabbed my attention.   Ginger is a one of the world's oldest and most popular medicinal spices. It's reputation as an aid for digestion is what I think of first.  In many of my recipe books, the anti-inflammatory properties of ginger are also mentioned.  But most importantly for me, I thoroughly enjoy the taste of ginger. Then, mix it with curry, and I dive in. The amount of fresh ginger root and curry spice was just right for me, but if you enjoy the tamer side of life, I suggest you reduce the amounts by about half.  The original recipe also used cream, but obviously, I omitted that for my dietary needs. 

Did I mention that this is easy to make?   Just put all of the ingredients together in a large soup pot and let it simmer until the squash is tender.  Preparation Pzazz!    

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs yellow crookneck squash, cut into 1" cubes (6 cups)

1 onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, shredded(about 1/2 cup)

Variety of summer squash from the garden

1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger (1 tsp dried)
(or less if desired)

2 teaspoons curry powder (or less)

3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

Paprika and chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish (optional)



Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a large soup pot and simmer over medium-low heat until squash is tender.  Use a handheld blender to puree the soup, or transfer it to your blender in batches.

Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 6                                
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 39                        
Total Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 81 mg
Total Carbs: 8 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 2 g