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I thought I’d share this delicious, healthy soup I’ve been loving recently. I’ve recently started considering squash as a pantry staple. It’s a low-maintenance fresh produce item and pandemic or not, I think everyone should always have at least one squash in their pantry because they last for months, they’re versatile and nutritious, and they’re a fresh item that doesn’t need to be refrigerated.

Please note that pretty much all these ingredients are highly modifiable. You can add more or less of them and your soup should turn out just fine. You can even make it without any of the spices and just a bit of salt, for a milder version. So please consider this recipe more of a general guideline.

Ingredients:

• 1 x medium/large squash cubed into even chunks (I used butternut)
• 2 x small/medium onions, chopped
• 4 x garlic cloves, chopped
• Small peeled bit of fresh ginger (optional), about half a thumb size
• 2 tsp olive oil (or any other oil or melted butter honestly)

• 2-3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey

• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper or chili flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ginger (use this only if you don’t have fresh ginger)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. In a large pot on medium/high heat, heat the oil then add in the onions and garlic (and fresh ginger if you have it). Stir them around for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent.
2. Add in the squash and stir for 1 minute.
3. Add in all your spices (salt, pepper, curry, ginger, cinnamon) and stir until everything is coated. Cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Stir every minute or so.
4. Add in all your liquids (coconut milk, broth, sweetener). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the squash is fork tender. Poke a few different chunks to be sure they’re all evenly cooked.
5. Blend the soup using either an immersion blender (Amazon), or a normal blender (Amazon) and blend until perfectly smooth.

I like to serve it with toasted bread & goat cheese but there are loads of options for serving. You can garnish with cilantro, toasted seeds or chickpeas, serve with salad, or anything your heart desires.

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Cheese boards are perfect for decadent and tasty snacking! They’re also excellent party pleasers! I know that a charcuterie board is often the more traditional option, but since we don’t eat a lot of meat in our house, a cheese board is the way to go for us! It’s not only perfect for parties, it’s can also be an amazing option for those random nights when you don’t know what to make for dinner and you just want to snack!

My favorite board to use is this slate board from Crate & Barrel (comes in small, medium, and I have large) and I paired it with this adorable modern copper handled cheese knife set and Christmas tree ramekins which felt perfect for the holiday season! More on other cheese boards & knives I love down below!

The best cheese boards have a variety of flavors to compliment each other – a mix of cheeses, crackers, fruit (fresh & dried), sweet treats, salty snacks, some crunchy bits and anything else your heart desires!

As far as presentation goes, there are basically a zillion different cheese board styles and cheese knives out there to choose from, so I’ve rounded up my favorites styles below to help narrow down the selection!

Favorite cheese board styles:

• Slate board: Crate & Barrel (this is the one in all my pics)
• Wood & marble boards: McGee & Co (striped) | West Elm (long octagon) | Crate & Barrel (rectangle) | West Elm (round w/handle) | World Market (round w/handle) | Overstock (round no handle) | Wayfair (paddle) | Wayfair (oblong) | Wayfair (round) | Wayfair (pineapple shape)
• Petrified wood: CB2 | West Elm
• Wood with inlay: CB2 (resin & wood) | Wayfair (extra long)
• Natural wood: CB2 (teak) | CB2 (olive)
• Traditional wood: Crate & Barrel (extra long) | Crate & Barrel (leather handles) | Crate & Barrel (copper accent) | Crate & Barrel (classic)
• Large cutting boards: McGee & Co (set of 3)Crate & Barrel

 

Favorite styles of cheese knives & accessories:

• Copper handles (modern): Crate & Barrel (the ones in my pics)
• Black handles (modern): Crate & Barrel
• Geometric handles: CB2
• Agate handles: World Market
• Mother of pearl handles: CB2
• Marble handles: West Elm (square) | West Elm (rounded) | Crate & Barrel (dark marble)
• Wooden: Crate & Barrel
• Copper: West Elm
• Gold: West Elm (textured) | CB2 (chunky) | West Elm (gold & silver)
• Christmas tree ramekins: Crate & Barrel (shown in my pics)
• Soapstone chalk: Crate & Barrel (writes on the slate cheese boards)

 

Favorite snack board foods:

Cheeses (I like to do 3):

• 1 hard (my fav is manchego, I usually slice this to make triangle wedges)
• 1 medium (my fav is goat gouda or cheddar, I’ll slice gouda but cube cheddar)
• 1 soft (my fav is soft unripened goat, but brie is common too)

Crackers (I also like to do 3, in a variety of shapes):

• 1 Flavored
• 1 Crispy
• 1 Softer
• A baguette (sliced or in chunks)

Fresh fruit:

• Grapes are a must for me
• Berries are also a must
• Seasonal options: pears, peaches, figs, persimmons, apples, tangerines, grapefruit, melon…

Salty snacks:

• Olives are my go-to, the more variety the better
• Roasted red peppers
• Mini pickles/cornichons

Sweet treats:

• Chocolate bites/truffles
• Dried fruit (apricots, dates, cranberries, figs…)
• Candied ginger (sweet with a bit of a kick)

Spreads:

• Jams and spreads (sweet or spicy)
• Humus (for color, try beet or pea humus)
• Honey in a cute little jar/dish

Crunch factor:

• Nuts (roasted & salted for extra yum)
• Roasted corn kernels
• Pretzels and breadsticks

Veggies:

• Cherry tomatoes
• Cucumber slices

Honestly there’s no right or wrong way to do make these boards. I did up a couple different versions here as examples, but there are literally endless different and fun ways to make these yummy snack boards! And you don’t even have to do cheese… you can do veggie boards, fruit platters, or even dessert trays!!