DRAGON BITES carb-counted recipe
A family-friendly, mostly healthy (sometimes treat-y!) easy recipe for families living well with Type 1 Diabetes.
Carb-Counted Comfort Food
As the days get shorter – and colder! – this silky smooth soup is just the warm-up we need. Nutritious and thick, with a hint of the sweetness of pears, this soup uses only whole foods that will nourish your family while bringing a smile even to “discerning“ taste buds. The gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free recipe can be easily doubled or even tripled, so you can freeze some for a quick meal on a cold winter day.
(Recipe inspired by Looney Spoons’ The Squash Court.)
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Low-Carb? Moderately
Gluten-free? Yes
Dairy-free? Yes – the soup itself is vegan. I skip the Greek yoghurt topping to make it dairy-free, all the way.
Nut-free? Yes – but pumpkin seeds make a great garnish.
Active Time: 30 min
Cook: 20-25 min
Ready in: under an hour
Total Yield: 8 cups of butternut squash + pear soup
Carb Content: 13g per cup (see detailed carb content below)
WHAT YOU NEED:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup (125g) chopped onion1
1 tbsp minced garlic2
1 tsp grated gingerroot
½ tsp each curry powder, cinnamon, ground cumin
4 cups vegetable broth3 (or chicken broth, if you prefer)
Tip from the Trenches:
I often double this recipe and freeze some for a future meal. When I do, I find that doubling the broth makes the soup thinner than I would like, so I use 6 cups of broth (reduced from 8 cups) while doubling the rest of the ingredients. If you find the soup is too thick, you can always thin it by adding a bit more broth during the puree step. -Michelle
3 cups (400g) peeled and cubed butternut squash4
You can use fresh squash in season, or to cut down the prep time use frozen cubed squash all year round - available in the frozen vegetable section of most grocery stores.
2 cups peeled and chopped pears5
You can sub in apples if pears are not available, or if you prefer a taste that is slightly more tart.
1 cup (135g) peeled and chopped carrots6
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
Optional Toppings:
Pumpkin seeds
Greek yoghurt or sour cream
Notes on Ingredients & Carbs:
- 11g carbs for onion
- 3g carbs for Kirkland Minced California Garlic
- 8g carbs for Imagine Organic Vegetable Broth (Gluten Free)
- 35g carbs for butternut squash
- 37g carbs for pears
- 9g carbs for carrots
WHAT TO DO:
1.
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook and stir until onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
2.
Add gingerroot, curry powder, ground cumin, and cinnamon, mixing well and cooking until fragrant (about 1 minute).
Add broth, squash, pears, carrots, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
3.
Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until squash and carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.
4.
Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can puree the soup in a blender, in 2 or 3 batches, returning the pureed soup to the pot to reheat as necessary.
5.
Serve hot.
(Optional) Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and/or Greek yoghurt or sour cream.
Note: Toppings are not included in the carb count given.
CARB & FAT CONTENT:
Total carbs: 103g
Total fat: (minimal)
Total yield: ~8cups of butternut squash + pear soup (~1813g finished weight)
Nutrient Content by Volume: 1 cup of soup contains 12.9g (13g) of carbs.
Nutrient Content by Weight: 100g serving of soup contains 5.7g (6g) of carbs, which means:
Carb Factor (CF) by weight = 0.06
What is a Carb Factor? How Do I Use It?
Should We Measure Ingredients by Cup or by Weight?
Please don’t rely exclusively on my carb counting! Nutritional information is given for general information only, and will vary depending on the amount, type and brand of ingredients you choose - Please verify your carb and fat content when you make your own version of this recipe.
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