The northeast has taken a beating over the last couple of weeks. Hurricane Sandy…well, you know all about what happened with that storm. Then yesterday we got our first snow, brought to us by a nasty Nor’easter storm. Yay!

But I am hardly the one to complain. I have absolutely no reason to whine. I was “stuck” in Los Angeles during the hurricane, and I had heat, hot water, electricity and internet to come home to last night after spending an hour outside in the freezing wind and snow. From my toes to the tippy top of my head, I am full of gratitude.

Then there’s the joy & gratitude of coming home to a cozy apartment and a hot bowl of soup.

I feel happy. I feel warm. I feel strong. I feel at peace. I feel love.

My new favorite soup is Silky Butternut Squash & Cauliflower with a delicate drizzle of truffle oil. It started as a simple soup for one of my clients. Then it landed on one of the menus for my first 30-Day Vegan Challenge (which was fantastic, by the way!) I’ve made it many times over the last month, and I will surely repeat it’s simple recipe throughout the winter months. There is something so sumptuous about butternut squash and cauliflower.

This is the PERFECT soup for Thanksgiving dinner by the way. It’s actually part of the “Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge” on the awesome What Would Cathy Eat blog!

Oh, and I’ll be teaching it at my next Whole Foods Tribeca cooking class (Nov. 17th @4pm). Simple, healthy, delicious, pretty and warming. What more could you want from a soup?… The Recipe!

Silky Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Soup

serves 4-6



1 butternut squash(about 4 cups), peeled & cubed

1 head cauliflower, leaves removed & chopped

1 onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tbsp ginger

3 tbsp fresh sage

1 tbsp fresh thyme

1 ½ vegetable bouillon cube dissolved in ½ cup of water (or 1 carton low-sodium vegetable broth)

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

2 tsp black pepper

white truffle oil



Heat oven to 425°. Toss butternut squash in a large bowl with olive oil. Spread the squash on a baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes.

When the squash has finished roasting, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add the garlic, onions and 2 tablespoons of sage; saute until onions are translucent. Add cauliflower and thyme to saute for a few minutes. Add the butternut squash and ginger along with 8 cups of water, and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook on medium low for 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender. Remove from heat, and stir in the dissolved vegetable bouillon, cumin, coriander and the remaining sage. Puree with an immersion blender, or carefully transfer the soup to a high-speed blender to puree in batches. If pureeing in a blender, transfer the soup back into the pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in bowls to serve, and drizzle on a bit of truffle oil.