How to Make Butternut Squash Soup with Fennel, Ginger & Garlic

SERVINGS: 4

PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES

MEAL: LUNCH-DINNER

STYLE: AYURVEDIC

PREPARATION: SOUP, BOILED, PUREE

EAT IN: AUTUMN-WINTER

FOR OCCASION: THANKSGIVING, DINNER-PARTY, CLEANSE, ON-THE-MEND

How Does This Ayurvedic Recipe Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Butternut Squash Soup with Garlic, Fennel, and Ginger offers warmth & satisfaction for the season. After a summer of absorbing the sun's energy, farm-fresh Butternut Squash is ripe, sweet, and ready for autumn consumption. It is no wonder that the earth offers this brightly-colored, bountiful food in the fall and winter time, when your body naturally craves more cozy, grounding foods. Ginger & sweet fennel add an enticing top note for a delicate finish and enhanced digestibility to this delectable soup. This is comfort food at its best - bringing contentment without weighing you down.

Feel Calm & Grounded

Soup is an excellent way to nurture your body. It is soothing and reassuring when you're feeling frazzled. The natural dryness of fall tends to trigger anxiety, triggering scattered thoughts and disarray. Soups replenish moisture which calms your nerves and soothes your mind. Cooked garlic and onions are grounding and calming for a wired brain, making this meal a hearty and supportive treat. Butternut squash soup helps you relax at the end of a long day at work.

Immune System Boost

Ginger, garlic and onion are a combination used ubiquitously in Asian cooking known as "tri-root." It is highly beneficial for stressed immune systems. Garlic and onion are known immune tonics as they are antimicrobial and improve circulation. Ginger and black pepper's fiery character protects you on cold, damp days, making this soup a fail-proof immune-boosting tonic. Butternut Squash Soup with its immune support spices is a gem for fall illnesses. It is dairy-free, yet heavy enough to keep you feeling strong and satiated while fighting off a cold or flu.

Comfort Food that Helps You Lose Weight

Butternut squash isn't just a comfort food for the senses, it is also an ideal comfort food for weight loss and diabetes. Its mild diuretic qualities drain excess "dampness," meaning it can drain mucus congestion from the lungs and flush excess water retention from your body. Although it tastes sweet, the complex carbohydrates in butternut squash won't aggravate diabetes either. The pungent scent of garlic is a sign of its stimulating effects on the circulatory system, useful for boosting metabolism, which is a key factor in losing weight.

Support Your Liver

Your eyes may seem naturally drawn to the rich golden hues of butternut squash in autumn. Its orange color is due to carotenes, the molecules that bring that luscious bright orange shade to carrots and sweet potatoes. The high content of carotenes in butternut squash soothes your stressed liver while nourishing dry eyes. Butternut squash is also thought to contain anti-inflammatory properties, which cool off an overheated liver.

Good for Cleanses, Illness & Weakness

The soft, sweet qualities of butternut squash are easy to digest and very nourishing, perfect for the elderly and those with weak digestion. Butternut squash is also wonderful when your system is weakened by cleansing or purification. Butternut squash works gently to rebuild strength without compromising the lightness achieved by cleansing. Mild spices in this recipe like fennel and ginger augment the ease of digesting butternut squash for your transition back to health. These spices also aid detoxification. Although they have warming qualities, these spices will not inflame heat-sensitive Pitta constitutions, even as they promote warmth and balance in cool, dry constitutions. The nourishing benefits of butternut squash soup are enhanced by the use of lime. Like all sours, lime increases secretions and moistens dry Vata, especially in the autumn when the body tends toward cold limbs and dryness. These spices and flavors work in tandem with the squash to produce a satisfying, deeply fortifying meal.

AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

INCREASES Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic. Learn More	EASY ABOUT EASY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly. LEARN MORE ABOUT EASY CLEAR ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama. LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR LIQUEFIED ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs. LEARN MORE ABOUT LIQUEFIED
TASTES The 6 Tastes Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below? Learn More	SOUR ABOUT SOUR BIOCHARACTERISTIC Sour refers to anything fermented or acidic. LEARN MORE ABOUT SOUR
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. They are easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. They tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. If they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Anabolic people tend to be stable and grounded. Learn More	PACIFIES AGGRAVATES
HAS THE FOLLOWING	Subtaste: Aromatic STRONG AROMATIC Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues. SEE ALL 'AROMATIC' FOODS / HERBS , Bland BLAND Bland means doesn't have much taste. In Chinese medicine, bland taste refers to afood without little macronutrients, such as cabbage, radish or bok choy. SEE ALL 'BLAND' FOODS / HERBS Tissue (dhatu): Red Blood RED-BLOOD Red blood (Rakta Dhatu) includes red blood cells and blood vessels. SEE ALL 'RED-BLOOD' FOODS / HERBS
HERBAL ACTIONS (see all)	Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Butternut Squash Soup with Fennel, Ginger & Garlic Experiences are Personal Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition. Digestion: Quenches Thirst QUENCHES-THIRST An herb or substance that relieves thirst. SEE ALL 'QUENCHES-THIRST' FOODS / HERBS , Digestive DIGESTIVE Herbs that encourage healthy digestion. SEE ALL 'DIGESTIVE' FOODS / HERBS , Stomachic STOMACHIC An herb that increases appetite or settles a nauseas or nervous stomach. These generally increase the digestive fire, therefore relieving symptoms of sluggish or difficult digestion. SEE ALL 'STOMACHIC' FOODS / HERBS , Carminative CARMINATIVE Stimulates the release of gas. Helpful for bloating or cramping abdominal pain. Propels food downward. Carminatives typically expel gas by relaxing the muscles of the intestines. SEE ALL 'CARMINATIVE' FOODS / HERBS , Sialogogue SIALOGOGUE A sialogogue increases saliva. Sour foods are often great sialogogues, and increase output of all exocrine glands. Salty taste is very moistening as well. Bitter, pungent and sweettastes also increase salivary output but to a lesser degree. Astringents. SEE ALL 'SIALOGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS Bowel Health: Relieves Burning RELIEVES-BURNING Herbs that soothe a burn or reduce an internal burning sensation, such as aloe vera. SEE ALL 'RELIEVES-BURNING' FOODS / HERBS , General Laxative GENERAL-LAXATIVE Promotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives. SEE ALL 'GENERAL-LAXATIVE' FOODS / HERBS Cleanse & Detox: Burns Toxins BURNS-TOXINS An herb that detoxifies by helping your body metabolize toxins, as opposed to eliminating them. SEE ALL 'BURNS-TOXINS' FOODS / HERBS Mind, Stress & Sleep: Makes You Tired MAKES-YOU-TIRED Induces drowsiness and promotes sound sleep. SEE ALL 'MAKES-YOU-TIRED' FOODS / HERBS , Nerve Relaxant Grounding NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING Encourages feelings of stability and heaviness. Makes you feel settled, mentally relaxed. Mildly sedates the nervous system to ease stress. Can bring a spacey or anxious person back to earth. Reduces agitation, irritation, stress and racing thoughts. SEE ALL 'NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING' FOODS / HERBS Energy Vitality: Stimulates Energy STIMULATES-ENERGY This category groups thyroid and adrenal stimulating herbs. SEE ALL 'STIMULATES-ENERGY' FOODS / HERBS , Satisfies Stomach SATISFIES-STOMACH Provides a sense of gratification and fullness in the stomach. SEE ALL 'SATISFIES-STOMACH' FOODS / HERBS , Nutritive NUTRITIVE An herb that is strengthening and nourishing. SEE ALL 'NUTRITIVE' FOODS / HERBS , Tonic TONIC A tonic herb restores function through strengthening tissue. This can happen through a combination of nourishing the tissue, and invigorating tissue metabolism. The tonic should not be withering, as in caffeine. SEE ALL 'TONIC' FOODS / HERBS Skin Care & Beauty: Diaphoretic DIAPHORETIC An herb that induces sweating, often by dilating blood vessels close to the skin. SEE ALL 'DIAPHORETIC' FOODS / HERBS Respiratory-Health: Flushes Sinuses FLUSHES-SINUSES An herb that relieves sinus congestion by flushing out mucus. SEE ALL 'FLUSHES-SINUSES' FOODS / HERBS , Irritates Throat IRRITATES-THROAT Creates abrasive feeling in the back of the mouth. May stimulate coughing. SEE ALL 'IRRITATES-THROAT' FOODS / HERBS , Decongestant DECONGESTANT An herb that reduces mucus production often by restricting blood flow to mucus membranes. SEE ALL 'DECONGESTANT' FOODS / HERBS , Expectorant EXPECTORANT Expectorants help you eliminate mucus from the lungs. These herbs often work by increasing the quantity of mucus, or thinning the mucus. Expectorants are indicated when phlegm congests the lower respiratory tract. SEE ALL 'EXPECTORANT' FOODS / HERBS Heart & Circulation: Cardiac Stimulant CARDIAC-STIMULANT Herbs that increase the heart rate. Useful in cardiovascular health, blood stagnation, and subjective feeling of heaviness in the chest area. SEE ALL 'CARDIAC-STIMULANT' FOODS / HERBS , Vasodilator VASODILATOR A vasodilator is an herb that widens the blood vessels by the relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, thereby increasing circulation systemically or to a local area. SEE ALL 'VASODILATOR' FOODS / HERBS , Alterative ALTERATIVE Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter. SEE ALL 'ALTERATIVE' FOODS / HERBS Kidney & Urinary: Diuretic DIURETIC Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure. SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS Liver & Gallbladder: Cholagogue CHOLAGOGUE Cholagogues stimulate the production & release of bile from the liver & gallbladder. This refreshes and cleanses these organs, as well as increases bile in the small intestines. SEE ALL 'CHOLAGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS Strength, Muscle Health: Antispasmodic ANTISPASMODIC Herbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, menstruation, hear palpitations, migraine, or IBS. SEE ALL 'ANTISPASMODIC' FOODS / HERBS Constituents: Nitric Oxide NITRIC-OXIDE Improves circulation by dilating blood vessels. Protects blood vessels from damage. Improves athletic performance, libido, immunity, and brain health. SEE ALL 'NITRIC-OXIDE' FOODS / HERBS , Saponins SAPONINS Can be used to make soap. Saponins stimulate mucus membrane secretion, liquefying mucus for easy removal (expectorant). SEE ALL 'SAPONINS' FOODS / HERBS , Sulphur, Polysaccharides, Sulfated Polysaccharides, Rutin RUTIN Rutin is a flavonoid with anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Commonly used to treat conditions such as varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and high blood pressure. SEE ALL 'RUTIN' FOODS / HERBS , Beta Carotene, Coumarin COUMARIN Moderately toxic, vascular tonic, hypotensive, and anti-inflammatory. SEE ALL 'COUMARIN' FOODS / HERBS , Fats

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Joyful Belly is a recognized school of biocharacteristics medicine.