This video is the reason I made soup today.

I loved this little weight loss clip from Lifehacker, especially the bit about soup leaving you feeling fuller longer, which can aid in your weight loss efforts if that’s something you’re after.

Given that my pre-pregnancy weight still eludes me, I found this idea intriguing. I have since come to the conclusion that we simply do not eat enough soup around here! With soup on the brain, I got started with this butternut beauty.

A butternut squash and three of my best friends; coconut oil, onion and garlic.

Dice half a large sweet onion (I used mayan) and mince a couple cloves of garlic. In a large, deep pan, saute vegetables over medium heat in a tablespoon or two in your oil of choice. Once your garlic and onion are underway, it’s squash time.

This soup is simple, but peeling the butternut squash is probably the trickiest part.

It’s not tricky at first.  Oh no, it’s easy when you start. As you get to the end though and most of the skin is off, your squash starts slipping out of your hand and shooting across your counter like an intercontinental gourd torpedo threatening to take out a small country.

But that small country is worth the slippery slidey effort because it saves you time and energy down the road. You won’t have to turn the oven on and roast the squash (energy savings!), your squash cooks faster (time savings!) and it also saves you from getting a baking sheet dirty and washing one more pan. (Time AND energy savings!) Dang, peeling this squash practically pays itself.

Next? Slice!

Then? Dice!

(Well, “cube” actually. But dice rhymes with slice so I went with dice.)

When your squash has been cubed and your garlic and onions are soft, add all the squash to your pan with about 8 – 12 oz of water. Some (but not all) of the squash should be covered in water.

Bring soup to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover, stirring occassionally. Baby sitting on your arm during stirring is optional.

When your squash is soft, it’s ready to puree in the blender or food processor. I pureed the entire contents of the pan, but you could leave some of the vegetables in the pot and puree just half to make it chunky.

When your soup is smooth, return to pan and salt to taste. Add more water to thin if desired.

If you serve your Butternut Squash Soup in a white bowl, it looks like a giant, hardboiled egg! Bonus!

So whether you’re looking to feel fuller longer or maybe you’re just tired of chewing so much, here’s a new soup to try if you want to start eating more soup too. Now hop to it.