SmartBran™ Curried Squash Soup

SmartBran™ Curried Squash Soup

I recently learned more about Nature's Path and their line of cereals and products at The Cooking Experience a few weeks ago. A family-owned company, I've been a fan of their healthy cereals and was excited to learn that they also featured recipes on their site such as this Curried Squash Soup by Lorna Sass, the award-winning cookbook author of Whole Grains, Every Day, Every Way and Whole Grains for Busy People. A simple recipe, this soup makes soup making easy by using frozen vegetables (though I prefer fresh - when possible), curry powder, cilantro, and the fiber-rich SmartBran™cereal. Never having made my soups with cereal I'm interested to see how this recipe comes together and adds a new dimension to my soup making.

SmartBran™ Curried Squash Soup

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients: 

• 1 tbs. vegetable oil
• 4 tsp. Madras-style (mild) curry powder
• 2 pkg. (12-oz. each) frozen, pureed, unseasoned squash
• 4 c. vegetable broth
• 1 c. SmartBran™ cereal
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tbs. finely chopped cilantro, for garnish 

Directions: 

1. In a 3-quart, heavy soup pot, heat oil over medium heat.
2. Add curry powder and stir for 10 seconds. Immediately set both blocks of frozen squash and into pot.
3. Pour in broth and add SmartBran™. Bring mixture to a boil.
4. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Stir well, breaking up any blocks of squash.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until all squash is defrosted and all SmartBran™ cereal has dissolved and thickened soup, about 2 more minutes.
6. Ladle into soup plates. Garnish each portion generously with cilantro. 

Have you ever used cereal in your soups?

Seriously Soupy Serena