Butternut Squash Apple Cheddar Soup

Butternut Squash Apple Cheddar Soup via Chef Julie Harrington, RD @ChefJulie_RD

There is nothing better then cozying up to a warm bowl of soup on a chilly evening. Soups can pack in a ton of flavor utilizing various food groups creating a balanced meal.

A couple of weeks ago I had a cooking class called “Hearty Soups & Salads” and in the class, we discussed when making soup, the ingredients and steps are well thought out to build and develop depths of flavors.

Butternut Squash Apple Cheddar Soup via Chef Julie Harrington, RD @ChefJulie_RD

You might think, pairing butternut squash and Honeycrisp apples would yield a soup too sweet, but with the addition of sharp cheddar and plain yogurt, adds a balance of salty, with a hint of tart and tangy.

When blended, this creates a silky smooth soup. Batch cook and freeze some for later.

Butternut Squash Apple Cheddar Soup via Chef Julie Harrington, RD @ChefJulie_RD

Properly cool, freeze, and reheat soup:

  1. Refrigerators and freezers cannot cool soups quickly enough for food safety protocols. Speed up the cooling process by placing the pot of soup in a bath of ice water in the sink. Stir soup to help release the heat.
  2. Label and date large ziplock plastic bags. To help pour soup in the bag, place bag in the bowl and cuff the bag over the edges. Ladle soup into each bag, let out excess air and seal.
  3. Lay bags flat in a single layer in the freezer. When completely frozen, stack bags to save space in the freezer.
  4. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
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Butternut Squash Apple Cheddar Soup in a white bowl

Butternut Squash Apple Cheddar Soup

  • Author: Chef Julie Harrington, RD

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon butter
½ sweet onion, diced
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
2 Honeycrisp apples, peeled and cut into chunks
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
4 ounces sharp cheddar, grated (about 1/2 cup) [I used Cabot’s sharp cheddar]
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
Salt and ground pepper to taste
Chopped fresh chives, for garnish


Instructions

Saute onions with butter over low medium heat in a large stockpot until translucent.
Add squash, apples, and stock or broth in a large pan; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover pan and simmer squash for 20 minutes or until very tender.
Uncover and let cool. Puree in blender or food processor, in batches, if necessary.
Return puree to saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Stir in yogurt, cheese, and ground red pepper. Add salt and ground pepper to taste.
Whisk soup just until heated through (do not allow to boil). Serve sprinkled with chives.


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Cheddar, Apple, & Arugula Flatbread

Revamp pizza night into flatbread night, with this Cheddar, Apple, & Arugula Flatbread. 

What makes this flatbread really stand out? Let’s just look at these toppings.
Cheddar, Apple, & Arugula Flatbread

Toppings:
Cabot White Oak Cheddar // Granny Smith Apple // Walnuts // Arugula // Red Onion

Cheddar, Apple, & Arugula Flatbread
I must say, I love all the Legacy Cabot flavors, but since the beginning White Oak Cheddar has been my favorite. It has an oaky and buttery silky flavor to it that pairs well with the rest of the flatbread toppings.

Cheddar, Apple, & Arugula Flatbread
Lucky for me, I have a panel of professional taste testers for all of my recipes. My boyfriend, Adrain, REALLY liked this recipe. And when I say he REALLY liked it, means that a full flatbread was gone in one sitting. My friend Steph has become quite the Cabot cheese enthusiast, like myself. When I sent her a picture of the recipe, this happened …
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Lucky for Steph, we live right down the street from each other. Flatbread delivery! Now if only places delivered this kind of food ..
Cheddar, Apple, & Arugula Flatbread
By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe challenge sponsored by Cabot Creamery and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time. 

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Cheddar, Apple, & Arugula Flatbread on parchment paper

Cheddar, Apple, & Arugula Flatbread

  • Author: Julie @ RDelicious Kitchen
  • Yield: 4-6 1x

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400° F. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Divide dough into 2 even portions. Roll each portion on a floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Make oblong shapes, not exceeding the length of your baking sheet. Place the 2 flatbreads next to each other on the baking sheet. Let stand at room temperature for 10 – 15 minutes to rest.
  3. Bake in pre-heated oven for 5 minutes. If you have any large bubbles, poke them several times with the point of a sharp knife. Bake another 5-7 minutes, until firm and starting to turn golden brown.
  4. While the flatbread is baking, add the butter and onions to a small saute pan over low-medium heat. Let the onions cook until softened and beginning to caramelize.
  5. Remove flatbreads to add toppings. Add the onions on an even layer on both flatbreads. Then add the apple slices. Top with a layer of cheese and sprinkle with walnuts.
  6. Return the flatbread to the oven for an additional 7-10 minutes until cheese has fully melted and walnuts have toasted.
  7. Allow to slightly cool, then top with arugula. Cut into triangles to serve.

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Tips for a Healthy Halloween

This weekend I ran the #LegacyRace for Cabot. I chose the 5k distance. It has been really chilly this past week, but Saturday it was so beautiful out.
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Some pumpkin carving also took place. Without any of those fancy carving tools, I think we did a pretty good job!
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It’s a few days before Halloween and many have asked me how to stay on track with healthy eating when there is so much candy around. I compiled 5 tips and tricks to help stay healthy during the Halloween season.
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1. Get in some exercise. Schedule a workout date with yourself that morning or before the trick-or-treaters start ringing your doorbell. Those endorphins from your workout will put you in a feel good mood that may also help limit that second serving of candy.
2. Keep candy fun sized. You may want to be the “cool house” on the block, but those king size bars are much harder to only have a third of a bar and saving the rest for later. Opt for the fun sized for a portioned controlled treat.
3. Hold off on opening the candy as long as you can. Wait for that first trick-or-treater to ring your doorbell to open the bag of candy. Earlier on in the week before Halloween it will be less tempting knowing that that bag isn’t opened.
4. Didn’t get as many trick-or-treaters as you thought and now there are leftovers? Either spoil that last trick-or-treater by giving them the rest of your stash, or bring the leftovers to work.
5. Practice mindful eating. Don’t scarf down your Halloween treat. Slow down and truly enjoy it.
 
Don’t want to give out candy for Halloween this year? Give out a healthy snack like Cabot snack size sharp cheddar!
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Don’t forger to enter for 1 Cabot Legacy Gift box giveaway. Giveaway ends on Halloween!
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Disclaimer: By being a team leader for Cabot’s virtual race, my registration fee was paid for, received a $100 donation in my name to a local food bank of my choice, and was able to provide awesome RDelcious Kitchen readers with a Cabot Legacy gift basket. I was not compensated to write this post, all opinions expressed here are my own.  
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