Blood Orange and Apple Butternut Squash Soup

I subscribe to a weekly organic veggie/fruit box program. It is amazing but it does result in an excess of winter squash whenever I feel like taking a break from the labor involved in cutting them.  However, they really are worth the effort and can be made into a variety of delicious soups.

My surplus of fruits and vegetables led me to get imaginative which is how I ended up making a soup composed of butternut squash, pink lady apples, and blood oranges.

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash
1-2 pink lady apples (or any apple you have on hand)
1 blood orange
16 ounces chicken stock
Black pepper
Red pepper flakes
3 shakes of cinnamon powder

You can add any assortment of vegetables or other ingredients.  I have added red peppers, celery, honey, turmeric, etc.

Prep:

You can roast your butternut squash beforehand.  If you choose that route: cut it in half length wise, cover it in olive oil and/or honey and any spices you choose.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for 50 minutes.

However, that step can be avoided by chopping or spiraling the squash and cooking it in the broth if you're hungry now and don't want to add an hour towards the prep time.

Heat the chicken broth in a sauce pan.  Add all ingredients and cook until soft.  Pour contents of the pan into a vitamix/blender/ food processor/or whatever you intend to mix it in.  Mix until smooth.

Pour and consume.

Nut Free Pesto Salmon

I love me some pesto but my wallet cringes at the costs of pine nuts and my body retaliates at the consumption of walnuts, almonds, or any other nut substitute in for cheap pesto. Nuts are not my friend.  Except for pistachios.  We get along very well but pistachio pesto sounds less than appealing. Therefore, I have experimented with versions that do not involve any nuts at all.

Composition:
Basil (buy a basil plant.  Trader Joe's sells the most glorious basil plants I have ever seen)
Parmesan Cheese
Curly Kale
Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Trow it all into a blender and blend until it is a smooth consistency.

Layer as much as you want onto salmon.  Wrap the salmon in foil and throw it onto a BBQ (or in an oven) for 30 minutes.  Heat whichever medium you choose to 350 degrees prior to placing your food in it.