• 1½ lb. Sage Mountain Farm apples
• 4½ lb. butternut squash
• 1 large candy onion
• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ c. packed brown sugar
• ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground cardamom
• tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. ground pepper
• 4 cups Sage Mountain Farm chicken bone broth
• Plain Aris sheep’s milk yogurt (optional)
• Fresh chives and coarsely ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Divide apples, squash (cut sides up), and onion between two 15 1/2- by 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pans or shallow large roasting pans; drizzle with oil. Toss onions and apples to coat with oil. In cup, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle spice mixture over ingredients in pans. Place pans on 2 oven racks; roast 1 hour or until very tender and golden, rotating pans between upper and lower racks halfway through roasting time. Cool slightly.
2. With spoon, scoop out flesh from squash halves and transfer to medium bowl. Discard any dark, tough bottom layers from onion quarters. Cut onion and apples into large chunks.
3. In blender at low speed, blend one-third of roasted vegetable mixture with 1 can broth until pureed. Pour pureed mixture into 4-quart saucepan. Repeat 2 more times with remaining vegetable mixture and broth. Add 2 cups water to pureed mixture; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. (If not serving soup right away, spoon into large bowl; cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Or ladle soup into freezer-safe containers and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator overnight; to serve, reheat over medium heat.)
4. To serve, ladle soup into individual soup bowls and swirl some yogurt.
   Give thanks…… and enjoy!
   

Nutrition and Health Benefits of Butternut Squash

1. Prevents high blood pressure

A one cup serving of butternut squash contains almost 500 mg of potassium, which can help decrease your blood pressure by counteracting the effects of sodium in your diet. Keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range can help you steer clear of serious health issues like heart disease and stroke.

2. Promotes regularity

One cup of butternut squash contains almost 7 grams of fiber, which can help prevent constipation and maintain a healthy digestive tract by supporting healthy bacteria in the gut.

3. Improves eyesight

Butternut squash is literally loaded with vitamin A—one cup of squash has over 350 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA), which is uber-important for healthy eyesight. It’s a great source of zeaxanthin and lutein, two powerful antioxidants that can also protect your vision.

4. Keeps bones strong

Since it contains about 17 percent of your RDA of manganese, butternut squash can help your body maintain healthy bone structure, calcium absorption, and improve the mineral density of the spinal column. Meanwhile, vitamin C takes part in the production of collagen, which is important for building bone mass. Other minerals found in squash, such as iron, folate, and zinc, all contribute to bone health and protect against osteoporosis.

5. Protects your skin

Butternut squash also contains nearly half of your daily dose of vitamin C, which has been linked to healthier skin: A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined links between vitamin C and skin aging in 4,025 women aged 40-74, and found that higher intakes of the vitamin were linked to a lower likelihood of wrinkles and dryness.

6. Boosts immune function

While vitamin C may not cure the common cold, it may help reduce your risk of developing further complications, such as a lung infection or pneumonia. It may also help protect you from other immune system deficiencies, such as cardiovascular disease.

7. Reduces inflammation

Because of its high antioxidant content, butternut squash may have anti-inflammatory effects, helping you to reduce your risk of inflammation-related disorders like rheumatoid arthritis. For example, a study by the University of Manchester found that those who had the highest intake of the antioxidant beta-cryptoxanthin were only half as likely to develop arthritis over a seven to 15 year period, compared to those with a lower intake. Another study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention followed nearly 400,000 people for up to 16 years, and found that a higher intake of beta-cryptoxanthin also reduced the risk of lung cancer by more than 30 percent.

8. Aids in weight loss

With less than 100 calories, 26 carbohydrates, and almost no fat in a one cup serving, it goes without saying that butternut squash is the cheese to your diet’s macaroni. The fiber content alone helps increase satiety (the feeling of fullness), which can help you manage your weight. Add this nutrition-packed food to a larger portion of your meals, and your weigh scale won’t even know you’re standing on it. (Kidding. Sort of.)

Source: OrganicAuthority.com

At Sage Mountain Farm, we supply only the best nutrient rich produce grown in good healthy soil, mountain rich air using the cleanest natural volcanic spring water available to our local customers in San Diego County, Riverside and Palm Springs.

Let’s make small farms in our region stronger and profitable. 

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