Winter Squash Soup

Here it is by special request...from one of my daughters. This soup is adapted (for smaller quantity and added ingredients) from Joy of Cooking, 1997 edition. It will serve one or two, depending on personal enthusiasm for winter squash. This soup is dairy-free.

Winter Squash Soup
serves 1 or 2

1-2 cups (about) cooked pulp from one small winter squash (I use acorn squash)
1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil
about 1/2 cup chopped onion and celery (you decide proportions)
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 tablespoon maple syrup or sugar
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
salt if necessary

Saute onion and celery in butter or coconut oil until soft but not brown. Stir in squash, ginger and cinnamon. . Stir in maple syrup and half or more of chicken broth. Puree with blender or immersion blender until it is somewhat smooth. Add remaining chicken broth and salt. Bring to simmer and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Drugs That Harm

Wow! Want to get sicker than you already are? Just read this:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/12/09/15-dangerous-drugs-big-pharma-shoves-down-our-throats.aspx

I am a fan of Dr. Joseph Mercola's online articles. Sometimes I think he goes on for too long and buries his main point halfway through. However...this one says it like it is. He published an article from AlterNet that lists drugs that are said to be questionable for health, and points out the side effects. I'm with him all the way.

Then in his comments he points out some other drugs to avoid. He pretty much wipes out a lot of conventional drug therapy recommendations. He says that lifestyle choices can wipe out the need for most of these drugs, particularly choices of diet and exercise. He vilifies high fructose corn syrup, which he associates with many negative health conditions.

Among other things, he has comments about type 2 diabetes. He says that in many cases curing the disease is within the person's own control. I have read another book that says that, called There is a Cure for Diabetes, by Dr. Gabriel Cousens. Cousens says that diabetes will go away if the person goes on a 100% raw food diet. Mercola recommends eating a lot of raw food. Other recommendations for better diet are also in the Mercola comments.

I don't know very many people who are willing to eat 100% raw food. Even I would miss the potato chips.

Pumpkin Soup

Soup is good on a cold day. Today I made pumpkin soup. It's easy if you have canned pumpkin. It's a bit fussier if you have a real pumpkin on your hands. Here it is...

Pumpkin Soup for 2 or 3

1 small pumpkin, or 1 can pumpkin (about 2 cups cooked)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth or stock
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground sage, or more fresh sage
3/4 teaspoons salt (there is already salt in the broth, so be gentle)
sour cream (optional)

If you need to cook the pumpkin, cut it in half, remove the seeds and roast it, cut side down, until it is soft. Scoop out the pumpkin and discard the shell.

 Stir together the pumpkin and chicken broth. Puree this in a blender. Pour it into a saucepan and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Stir in the nutmeg, cinnamon, sage and salt. Mix well. Add the cream. Remove from heat. Serve with sour cream if desired.