Protein Rich Butternut Squash Soup, My Favorite Protein Sources, Good Things Happen When You Eat More Protein

If you’re looking for a healthy and delicious way to increase your protein intake, look no further than this protein-rich butternut squash soup with white beans!

It’s packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals making this soup perfect for a light lunch or a satisfying dinner when paired with a nice green salad.

I love incorporating more beans into my diet and adding them to soups is probably the easiest way to increase the protein content. There are many benefits to eating more protein throughout the day. Here are some of them:

1. Promotes muscle growth: Protein is essential for muscle growth and repair. Eating more protein can help promote muscle growth and increase muscle mass.
2. Increases satiety: Protein is known to be more filling than carbohydrates or fats. Eating more protein can help increase feelings of fullness and reduce overall calorie intake, leading to weight loss.
3. Boosts metabolism: The body burns more calories digesting protein than it does digesting carbohydrates or fats. Eating more protein can increase your metabolism, helping you burn more calories throughout the day.
4. Improves bone health: Protein is essential for bone health, as it provides the building blocks for bones. Eating more protein can help improve bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
5. Supports immune function: Protein is necessary for the production of antibodies and other immune system components. Eating more protein can help support immune function and reduce the risk of infection.
6. Improves overall health: Adequate protein intake is necessary for overall health and well-being. Eating more protein can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Overall, incorporating more protein into your diet can have numerous health benefits. It’s important to choose healthy sources of protein such as lean meats, fish, eggs, legumes, and nuts, and to balance your protein intake with other essential nutrients such as carbohydrates and fats.

Here are a few of my other favorite ways I like to get protein throughout the day:

• a clean protein powder for my morning smoothies and oat bowls 
• I love adding my collagen to my coffee or tea
• at lunch I most often have some left over roasted veggies with runny eggs, or a couple handfuls of beans, on a bed of fresh greens 
• I love building bowls for dinner. Like lunch, I start with fresh greens and load them up with more roasted veggies and either tofu, tempeh, beans, salmon, shrimp or sardines. 

Not only is this soup high in protein, but it’s also low in fat and calories, making it a great option for anyone looking to maintain a healthy diet. Plus, the combination of butternut squash and white beans makes for a delicious and filling meal that’s perfect for any time of the day. Give this recipe a try and see for yourself!

PROTEIN RICH BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (3-pound) butternut squash
• 1 large head garlic, top trimmed about 1/4-inch to expose the cloves
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into large equal-sized wedges
• 1 sprig fresh thyme or sage or teaspoon dried
• 1 medium sprig rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• Generous drizzle of olive oil plus more as needed
• 1 jar cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 ½ inch knob ginger, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes, drained
• 4 cups vegetable broth plus more as needed
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• (Feel free to add coconut milk if you like it creamier.)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.  Place entire whole squash in over for about 20 minutes which is just enough to soften to make it easier for the next step.
2. Let cool briefly. Now trim the top and bottom of the squash. Slice down the middle lengthwise to make two equal halves. Scoop out the seeds.
3. Place the squash, garlic, onion, sage or thyme, and rosemary onto one or two large baking sheets and drizzle with olive oil. Add salt to taste. Rub the vegetables and herbs with the oil until evenly coated. Place the squash flesh side down and roast on the middle rack for about 35 minutes, or until the squash is soft when pierced with a knife or fork.
4. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Then peel the skin off the squash with your hands. Break the squash flesh into smaller chunks and place them into a large saucepan or blender.
5. Squeeze the cloves from the garlic directly into the saucepan or blender. Add the onion, leaves from the herbs if you used fresh. I used dried. Add your white beans, ginger, and vegetable broth. Blend the ingredients using an immersion blender or a high-speed blender until smooth, adding more broth as desired. Add Sun Dried tomatoes. Blend again very briefly.
6. Season with salt and pepper.

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What are your favorite ways to get more protein in throughout the day?

Do you have smoothies in the morning?

What’s your favorite type of legume….White beans? Navy? Kidney? Black? Lima? Butter?

Are you using Collagen? This one is my favorite and it’s complete meaning it has all 9 essential amino acids for complete protein synthesis.