Toddler Friendly Butternut Squash Soup Food

TODDLER-FRIENDLY BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and pour in 1/4 cup water.
• Cut butternut squash in half; scoop out and discard seeds. Place squash halves, cut-sides down, on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until squash is soft when poked with a fork, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Scoop flesh out into a bowl and discard skins.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger; saute until onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add chicken stock, butternut squash, curry powder, cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper.
• Puree soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until warm, about 10 minutes. Stir in half-and-half before serving.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP FOR BABIES / TODDLERS / KIDS

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium heat, combine all ingredients except the crushed tomatoes. Add the tomatoes / tomato paste (the acid) at the end, it will bring some complexity to the sweetness and cut the blandness.For extra flavor, I recommend sautéing the onion and garlic beforehand in a tablespoon of ghee/ butter or olive oil. But that step is optional if you'd like to save some time.
• Cook the soup until it reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until all vegetables seem tender.
• You will need a traditional blender to puree the butternut soup. Do that in batches if you blender is small. Another option is blending only half of it and leaving the other half chunky to give it some texture. Older kids usually prefer some texture in their soups.
• Taste and add more seasonings. Add extra salt (babies 12 months and up) if needed, to taste.

TODDLER-FRIENDLY BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Bring 2 large pots of lightly salted water to a boil. Add squash cubes to 1 pot; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Add elbow macaroni to the other pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain both.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x9-inch casserole dish.
• Place drained squash in the bowl of a food processor; puree until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and add cooked macaroni, carrots, sour cream, carrots, Cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Stir until fully combined. Pour mixture into the prepared dish and sprinkle Italian seasoning on top.
• Bake uncovered in the preheated oven until golden brown and bubbly, about 40 minutes.