By BeeWench Farm 

Fall is when many of our local farmers and ranchers are busy harvesting and getting their farms ready for visitors. We have so many wonderful farms that welcome visitors for pumpkins, apples, and more in the fall, so make sure you plan out some fun trips. Our personal family favorites are Jack Creek Farm and SLO Creek Farms. 

You can also find the most amazing produce at the markets right now as the late summer and fall crops are coming in. Juicy grapes, apples, and pears are starting to appear at the markets. 

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If you are looking for more in-season produce, here is what to look for:

Fruits:

  • Apples
  • Grapes
  • Pears
  • Nectarines
  • Raspberries

Vegetables:

  • Beans
  • Bell Peppers
  • Corn
  • Cucumbers
  • Eggplant
  • Peas
  • Peppers
  • Potatoes
  • Summer squash
  • Tomatoes

This soup is so good that any substitutes you want to make will work out very well. A good rule of thumb for free-form soup is to start with a good mirepoix. That just means to sauté some of the veggies and aromatics, usually equal parts carrots and celery and two parts onion in oil or butter until translucent. This makes a delicious and flavorful base so you can add more veggies for your final soup. For this soup, I added garlic and ginger and sautéed it in peanut butter olive oil from The Groves on 41. I cut up everything the night before so I could sauté it quickly in the morning before throwing the rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker.

Crock Pot Butternut Squash Curry Soup

Ingredients:

  • ½ tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 2-3 medium size carrots, thinly sliced or diced
  • 1 medium (2 pound) butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 5-6 cups diced) (can sub sweet potatoes or pumpkin)
  • 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder (sub pumpkin spice or cumin)
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 (15 ounce) can coconut milk (or milk of preference)
  • 2 ½ cups broth or stock (vegetable or chicken stock)
  • 1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed and sorted (sub split peas or 1lb ground meat)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups spinach (sub kale)
  • Optional: 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (sub with alternative nut butter or extra peanut butter olive oil)

Directions:

  1. Make your mirepoix base by heating the oil on medium and adding the onions, carrots, garlic, and ginger. Cook until soft and onions are translucent. 
  2. Add cooked mirepoix base and all ingredients, except the peanut butter and spinach, to the bowl of a slow cooker.
  3. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. 
  4. Once cooked, use a blender or immersion blender to puree about half of the soup. Be careful if using a blender and start slowly to avoid being burned by hot soup.
  5. Pour the puree back into the pot with the rest of the soup and stir to combine. Finally stir the fresh spinach and peanut butter (if using) and leave in to cook another 5-10 minutes.
  6. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the soup as necessary. If you like more of an umami flavor try adding another tablespoon of peanut butter, or even a squeeze of fresh lime juice. I like to serve mine with cilantro, peanuts, and some chili lime seasoning.

Enjoy this on its own or pair it with some fresh sourdough bread from the market. It’s packed with nutrients and if you use fresh ingredients from the market, this is sure to bring you much needed nutrients to help you and your family feel happy, calm, and well nourished! 

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