I am a total fan of soups. They are really easy to throw together and can be as healthy (or not), silky smooth, broth-y, or hearty as you want them to be. It’s a really great way to throw a whole lot of flavor into one bowl.
I had some zucchini and yellow squash from my MisFits Market box that I needed to use and this soup was the perfect dish! In case you haven’t heard of MisFits Market....it‘s a subscription service that delivers fresh organic fruits, veggies and pantry items right to your doorstep at 40% cheaper than your average grocery store. I love it! Click here to learn more. (Use my code to save on your first box! COOKWME-TS7DKP)
I began with pretty basic ingredients, using the yellow squash for the soup I had in mind and I made cheesy zucchini bites to go along side of it. Both turned out delicious!
For the soup I used the yellow squash, red onions, potato and garlic. I added Italian seasonings (rosemary, oregano, thyme, basil) and vegetable stock and let it simmer on the stove until everything was soft and fully cooked. If your stock is not already seasoned you can add salt & pepper, but be sure to taste the cooking liquids first!
Once everything is fully cooked you are going to blend the soup. TIP—-> I remove most of the liquid and first only blend the veggies, adding the liquid back in to thin out the soup to my desired consistency. I didn’t get a picture of that part.....I’m hoping you all know what blending looks like..LOL!
Next I worked on the cheesy zucchini bites. I’m just going to apologize right now....I was so excited about these and not to mention distracted, that I forgot to take ALL the pictures I had planned. But it’s pretty easy so I’m sure you all won’t have any trouble putting them together. These zucchini bites are made just as you would meatballs. I shredded the zucchini (I used my KitchenAid shredder attachment but a cheese grater works here too!) Once shredded, you will want to squeeze most of the liquid out. I did this by pressing it out with my strainer....but next time I will buy cheesecloth....that will be MUCH easier. Then I added diced yellow bell pepper, breadcrumbs, Italian seasonings and Parmesan cheese. I tasted it at this point to see if it needed salt & pepper (cheese is salty so depending on how much you used you may not need it). Now add in the egg to bind everything together. Your mixture should be thick and able to form a ball without falling apart. If it’s too wet-add more breadcrumbs. If it’s too dry...add a little water. Form your balls and put it on a greased foiled lined pan (or parchment paper). Bake at 350° until golden, turning half way through. I’m sorry I honestly don’t have a time for this part because as usual, I was multitasking. And that’s the thing...sometimes you don’t need to overthink things. Just go check on it and if looks like its starting to brown, flip them over.
While the zucchini bites were in the oven, I decided to make a little something to top my soup. Sweet and smoky mushroom “bacon”......I just love mushrooms! Liquid smoke, agave, molasses, vegan butter and a dash of salt on the stove top to absorb all the flavors...and then into the oven to char up.. Delicious!!! I’ll get into mushrooms another time but until then, heres a picture!
So my daughter doesn’t like mushrooms....but I tricked her into eating these. He he he! I have a theory....she only THINKS she doesn’t like them. I let her taste a nice spoonful of soup topped with mushrooms and she said it was delicious and even asked, ”What’s that smoky flavor???” See what I’m saying....she doesn’t know what she likes..LOL!
🗣 Mariyah.....Dinner’s ready!
If you make this SILKY SUMMER SQUASH SOUP, let me know...I would love to hear how yours turned out! And if you‘re like me and like to take pictures of your food, don’t forget to share....Tag me on Instagram/Facebook #thegreybutton