squash, butternut, soup, paleo, vegetarian, healthy

Introducing our alternative-protein <a href=/articles/2015/11/stuffed-peppers>Meatless Dinner</a>series. For those of us who are suffering from chicken and salmon fatigue, Lauren Blake, R.D., proposes a series of flavorful and filling main dishes that supply a healthy dose of protein from more surprising sources. In week one, we prepared <a href=/articles/2015/11/stuffed-peppers>Moroccan-Spiced Lentil Stuffed Peppers</a>; our follow-up was a homemade take on takeout, <a href=/articles/2015/11/sesame-tofu>Sesame-Crusted Tofu With Greens and Thai Peanut Sauce</a>. Below, our third and final installment: If you’ve never worked with squash before, it’s surprisingly versatile and forgiving (for one, it’s difficult to overcook). The catch is that a lot of squash recipes are laden with butter and heavy cream, which undoes the fact that it’s a very healthy vegetable; for example, the butternut variety is only <a href=http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2648/2 style=font-weight:700 target=_blank>80 calories per cup</a> and has half your day’s dose of vitamin C. Here’s the hack for this hearty vegan dish: a cashew cream that gives the dish great body and healthy fat. Plus, hidden in the bisque are chickpeas, a great way to get protein, especially if you’re tired of hummus. Serve alongside crunchy seed crackers, or crumble them on top to replace croutons.Butternut Squash Chickpea Bisque Serves 4Ingredients: For the bisque: 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for garnish 2 large carrots, chopped 1 medium yellow onion, diced 5 cloves garlic, minced 6 cups diced butternut squash 6 cups vegetable broth 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained ¼ cup raw cashewsFor the crackers: ½ cup chia seeds ½ cup sunflower seeds ½ cup pepita seeds 2 medium finely-grated garlic cloves 2 tablespoons almond flour 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 sprig rosemary, stemmed and chopped 1 teaspoon dried thymeDirections: Bisque:In a large pot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Cook carrots, onion and garlic, stirring frequently, until carrots begin to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add squash, broth and chickpeas, bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer until squash is fork-tender, 20 minutes. In a blender, blend cashews and 1/3 cup water, adding water if necessary, until mixture is creamy; set aside. Transfer soup to blender and blend until smooth, then return to pot and stir in cashew cream, reserving 2 tablespoons. Season with salt and pepper and serve topped with a dollop of cashew cream and drizzle of olive oil. Crackers: Heat oven to 325°. In a bowl, whisk together seeds, garlic, flour, onion powder, rosemary, thyme and salt; add 1 cup water and stir with a wooden spoon until water is incorporated. On a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, press seed mixture to ¼-inch thickness. Bake for 30 minutes, cut into pieces, flip and continue baking, 25 minutes. Cool and serve.Recipe by <a href=http://www.wholelivinglauren.com/>Lauren Blake, RD</a><a href=/articles/2015/11/stuffed-peppers>Moroccan-Spiced Lentil Stuffed Peppers</a> <a href=/articles/2015/11/sesame-tofu>Sesame-Crusted Tofu with Greens and Thai Peanut Sauce</a>

Meatless dinner series: week three

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