Special Delivery: Fruits & Veggies

I received my first shipment of organic fruits and veggies this week from Farm Fresh To You, and let me tell you, it was like Christmas! I have never been more excited to receive a package on my doorstep!

Farm Fresh To You is a fruit and vegetable delivery service that brings organic, in-season, and LOCAL produce right to your doorstep. You can choose the items you DON'T want, and your delivery for the week will depend on what the farms have ready for pickin'! There are lots of varieties of boxes you can receive, such as veggies only, or fruit and veggie mixes. This week was blood oranges, Nantes carrots, butternut squash, red potatoes, and Hass avocadoes!

I decided to try it out so that I can incorporate more in-season produce into my diet, as well as challenge myself to try new recipes with fruits and vegetables that I wouldn't normally pick up at the market, like this romanesco...

Veggie Eats: Butternut Squash Soup

Cooking is one of my favorite things to do to unwind and relax after a long day...but I also work full time, so I don't have a lot of time for difficult and lengthy recipes with tons of ingredients!

...Which is what makes this Butternut Squash Soup so divine! Most of the ingredients I had on hand, and it's super simple!

Ingredients:

Large Butternut Squash

Olive Oil, 1 cup

Pine Nuts, 1/4 cup

Roma Tomatoes, 2

Garlic Cloves, 3-4

Fresh Rosemary, 2 sprigs

Agave, 2 T

Crushed Red Pepper, 1 tsp

Sea Salt, 1 tsp

Oregano, 1 T

Black Pepper

*Makes about 6-8 servings.

For a creamier consistency, you will want to cook the butternut squash first. Cut in half lengthwise, and remove seeds. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, or use oven gloves, and cut butternut squash into cubes, removing skin as well.

Add all ingredients to a large food processor or blender. Heat over the stove to warm, and add black pepper to taste.

I served my butternut squash soup with a Rosemary Cashew "Cheese," modified from my Jalapeno Cashew "Cheese" recipe here. It tastes like a rosemary cream cheese/ricotta, and had me fooled that there was no dairy involved!

Not sure that could get any more simple!

I even found a heart in my squash!