Slow cooker butternut squash and pear soup

As the temperatures begin to dip, warm right up with this super easy and healthy butternut squash and pear soup.

As much as I’d like to deny that winter is coming, we can already feel it as the temperatures begin to drop. And yes, that means flu season and all the wonderful illnesses and chilly feelings that come with winter. I’m sure most will agree, there’s nothing quite like a hot bowl of soup to warm you up when it’s freezing out. But seriously, who has the time to sit and wait for soup to simmer? Not me! During the winter months, I really put my slow cooker to use and start making hearty meals such as chilis, stews and soups.

This soup is one of my favourites and honestly the perfect meal to freeze or have for the week with sandwiches or salads on the side. This recipe is so simple and honestly, it requires you to throw everything into the slow cooker, pressing a few buttons and then leaving it. It’s really that simple!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large bartlett pears
• 1 butternut squash (or pick up the pre-cut butternut squash – that’s what I did)
• 4 carrots
• 4 stalks of celery
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 box vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 can reduced fat coconut milk
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Roughly chop all your vegetables and throw them into the slow cooker with the spices
• Pour the vegetable broth into the pot
• Cook on low for 4 hours
• After soup is cooked, take a hand processor and blend until soup is smooth and there are no more vegetable chunks
• Pour in half the can of coconut milk and brown sugar, then blend once more
• Taste the soup and season if necessary